Sailors in America
by Flyboy254
Summary: We thought it was over. We thought that we could finally rest. But some spirits just can't rest...
1. Prolog

Sailors Stateside

Sailors Stateside

If there is a fanfiction hell, I will probably wind up in it for this one. As always, reviews greatly appreciated.

All the characters from my "Dark Kingdom" story will be here. In case anyone is wondering how Apollo survived, a little fanfic alternate history. My story, my rules.

And one special note. I consider a crossover one where the characters from the other series make more than a few appearances.

Now, onward, first to fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada!


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1- Let's Do The Time Warp Again

* * *

"This is chopper Delta, we are currently holding over the eastern edge of the mountain. It looks like we've won gentlemen."

"Roger, Delta. We have some bad news, though."

"What is it?"

"That guy, Apollo, was in the mountain."

Delta's crew was in disbelief. That guy was the one who lead the assault on the enemies command center. And now, he was nothing but ash.

"Wait, command, we have someone coming out of the mountain!"

Spinning to where his copilot was pointing, the pilot of Delta saw a human shape emerging from what looked like a pile of rubble. It was wearing fatigues, and carried an M16.

"Command, I think you're information is a little old."

The scouts rushed to a radio tent while the two pairs of lovers embraced. Frantically, Mercury scanned the airwaves for any sign of their missing friend, until;

"Hey, is that Sailor Mercury on the other end?"

The scouts jumped up in celebration, and within minutes the Sea Hawk touched down at the HQ, the girls swarming the man who was to stubborn to die.

"Hey, come on, girls! Let me get some air already!" They wouldn't listen, and he didn't seem very willing to stop them.

"This is Eagle 1 calling for general Apollo, Eagle 1 calling for general Apollo. Are you there, Apollo?"

The girls finally stopped as Apollo touched his mike. "Roger, Eagle 1, I am here and I am loving it right now! How are our forces doing?"

Looking at the bank of monitors in front of him, the president grinned, which was a subdued reaction compared to everyone else at situation command. "They've won, Apollo. The enemy literally disintegrated! We've won."

"That's…that's good news, sir." Turning to face the mountain, Apollo silently made the sign of the cross and started praying. The others knew what he was doing. He was honoring those who had lost their lives.

After a few seconds, he spoke. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's find a spot that's still standing and get a drink! It's on me, of course."

The girls, Tuxedo Mask and Nephrite nodded.

* * *

"Alright, Paddy, you know the drill. Hands up, knees to the ground."

Patrick couldn't believe it. All he did to help these SEALs, and for what? To get sent to some damn English jail to rot for eternity? No, it couldn't happen this way.

William was a little more vocal in his protests. "You can't do this to us! We helped you find the bombs! We helped you beat that witch, and you want to turn us in?!"

Specter was steadfast. "It's our policy to not negotiate with terrorists. You can take it up with a judge of you want, but I don't think-" His train of thought was cut off by a sudden arrival.

"Specter! Don't arrest those men!" In seconds, the voice revealed itself as a British SAS trooper, along with several others.

"What the hell are you doing?" cried Recall "These men are terrorists! If you let them go, they'll just find a gun and a bomb and-"

"No, they won't." The SAS captain's words seemed to shut up Recall almost instantly. "We have been working with the Irish government, and they have agreed that Northern Ireland is to be integrated within a period of seven months."

They all stood, shocked at what they had heard.

"You mean," said James "That all of Ireland will be…together?"

The captain nodded. "And, because of your assistance, the English government has agreed to give you amnesty, provided you never take up arms against the crown again. Is that clear?"

Without a word, Patrick gave up his weapons, followed by William, then James. Soon, the RIRA existed in the history books.

* * *

"Well, girls, I must say, it has been a pleasure." Apollo and the others were inside a relatively intact café, sipping on soda and coffee. Each of them looked exhausted, but all felt on top of the world.

"Apollo," said Mercury. "What will you do know that this is over? You've quit the CIA."

"Maybe you can go back to your family!" said Venus.

"Hey, after what you've done, you deserve it." Mars was so happy she was fit to burst.

"No, he should get his own apartment! It's a little tight sometimes, but it pays off in the end." Jupiter was next to him, leaning into his side.

Meanwhile, Earth and Nephrite reconnected. "I was so sad when you died, Nephrite. I thought I would never see you again."

Nephrite put down his parfait and took her hand. "Don't worry, Molly. I'm back, and I will never leave your side for as long as I live." He drew her in and kissed her, and instantly she forgot about everything, focused solely on what was happening. "Oh, Nephrite."

In the back of the café, Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask were already in each other's arms, each grateful that the other had survived.

"Oh, Darien, I thought I had lost you so many times. I'm so relieved to have you here."

"I'm grateful to, Serena. Finally, the Negaverse is destroyed. We can finally live our lives in peace."

After transforming back, they all went to check on their families. Assured that they were safe, they regrouped at the ruined ice rink.

"Yes, mister president, thank you, sir." He saw the girls and two guys walking towards him. "Hey! Just in time for the good news!"

"Huh? What good news?"

"You see, my good Serena, the president of the United States has agreed that we all deserve a little down time, a reward for our good service." Every word seemed to explode out of his mouth. "So, in gratitude, the president has agreed to let me take you to fabulous LAS VEGAS, NEVADA!"

They all stood stock-still, stunned.

"You mean the Las Vegas?" said Mina.

"Where Sigfried and Roy perform?" said Ami.

"Where there's always something to do?" said Ray.

"Where the food is prepared by world class chefs?" said Lita.

"Where there is no closing time on anything?" said Molly.

"Where there are all you can eat buffets!" shouted Serena.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and…what's the word? Oh yeah. Yes."

The girls started hopping up and down, cheering at their good luck. Darien and the newly reborn Maxwell Stanton also smiled wide.

"It's been a long time since I was in America, but I don't think I've forgotten to much."

Darien was also happy. "I like the idea. You can show us around, right?"

Bob laughed. "Yeah right! I'm from Philly! Clear other side of the country! Wish I could take you there, but there isn't a thing happening."

"Who cares!" shouted Serena. "I say we go and have some fun!"

They all responded with a resounding "YES!"

"There is, of course, one little legal issue. Can you all pretend to be eighteen for two weeks?"

He didn't even have to ask.

* * *

The president got up and shook the generals hand. "It's finally over, right Henry?"

The general nodded. "If the Liberators even think about sneezing, we'll be there, sir." He paused. "You made the right decision on Mondale, sir, in case you were still thinking about that."

The president nodded. "Mondale was a good man. I guess the system got to him."

The general nodded. Secretly, though, he knew Mondale was nuts from the beginning.

In the back of a prisoner transport van, Mondale quietly brooded. "This isn't supposed to happen," he thought. "I'm the head of the CIA. I'm not mad! They are! And Poltergeist…" His thought trailed off. Suddenly, the van stopped, and he heard silenced gunshots. A second, the doors to the van swung open and a masked figure stood in front of him. "Its about damn time, Wraith!"

"Sorry, director," said the man, pulling off his mask. His face was cold, with secretive green eyes. "We had a little trouble pinpointing the vehicle. Thanks to Lo-jack, however," he chuckled in an evil way.

"What about our friend Poltergeist?" Each word dripped of Mondale's tongue like it was acid.

"Don't worry, sir. We've located where he and his friends will be."

For the first time in a day, Mondale smiled.

* * *

"So, you all ready for the trip?" They were at an improvised airstrip, as the main one was still being repaired. Military and civilian personnel rushed to and fro, trying desperately to keep up with the aid that was being sent to Tokyo from all over the world. Even some African nations said "The nation of Japan must know the world supports it in its time of need." After making one last check that their families were safe and healthy, the girls, Darien and Maxwell were lined up at the runway, ready to go.

"I can't believe that you secured a private plane for us!" Mina looked at the Learjet as if it was her dream come true. The two air force men in uniform didn't hurt either.

"Well, girls, I think you should know how I got this jet for ourselves."

"How?"

"Well, Ray, I kinda sorta told the US what your real identities are."

A silence.

"WHAT?!"

"Calm down, already! Listen, I know it is a little crazy when you hear it from me! But this was the only way to get a jet. And trust me, no one but the higher ups and the pilots know who you really are." He looked each girl in the eye. "I promise. I would _never _tell anyone who you really were, unless I could trust them too."

For a moment, it looked like they were going to rush him and do to him whatever the mob did to Jimmy Hoffa. But soon they cooled down, and gave him their approval with a nod.

"Well, then! Now that that's settled, on to Vegas!" Boarding the jet, they saw two men waiting inside, dressed in what would be considered work dress.

"Welcome to the flight, Scouts. I'm your pilot, Captain Grames, and this is my co-pilot, Second Lieutenant Ryan Wract. We just want to make sure of one thing before we take off, though." He reached behind him and grabbed a life vest. "Do you all know how to work these?" They nodded. "Good! That completes the safety briefing, now to get on with the flight."

As they each took a seat and put away their luggage, Grames included one more thing. "And girls, thanks for saving my cousin, the SEAL codenamed Rage. You saved his life on that cruiser, so don't worry. Your secrets safe with me." Winking, he went back into the cockpit.

"See!" said Bob "Like I told you, I would never tell your secret to someone I didn't trust."

After a quick check, the plane lifted off, and, aside from a mid-air refueling, it was smooth flying all the way.

"So, what's the first thing you'll do in Vegas, Lita?" Serena, personally, was going to every all-you-can-eat buffet on the strip.

"First thing I'm doing is going out on the floor to see if I can win some hard cash!" The look of greed in her eyes scarred Serena for a minute.

"Why even bother, Lita? The odds always favor the house. Besides, a penny earned is a penny saved."

"You mean a penny saved is a penny earned, right Mina?"

"No Ami! I mean what Benjamin Franklin said!" Once more, Ami hung her head in exasperation.

"Well," continued Mina "I'm going to see the sights! Cirque de Soleil, Treasure Island, the works!"

"Well, I'm going to see some of the magic acts that Vegas has. That way I can find out how they're done." She almost giggled like crazy about the possibility to prove the many magicians as frauds.

"You guy's are thinking small. I'm riding every single roller coaster I can find! And when I'm done, I'm seeing the desert!" There was a manic look in Ray's eye.

"What do you want to do when we get to Las Vegas, Molly?"

"Well, I really want to see one of the shows they have all the time. I hear that some of them are really awesome!"

Maxwell nodded. "Whatever makes you happy."

Darien looked at the pair, pleased that they were happy together. "I guess people really can change."

Unknown to the passengers, two stowaways were inside the luggage onboard, desperately clawing for a way out.

"Move your leg, Artemis! I have enough trouble breathing as it is!"

"Well, Luna, if I could, don't you think I would've done it already?!"

"Hey, you guys hear something?" The cats froze.

"No, Bob we didn't hear anything back here."

"Well, sorry Molly. Just sounded like someone was fighting."

"Well, it definitely wasn't us."

"Alright, Maxwell. Save it for the hotel, will ya?"

A giggle sounded from right below Serena and Artemis, then things became quiet again.

"Phew! That was close."

"Hey! Who was that?"

The cats froze again. "Nice job, Artemis."

"Hey, it's coming from the luggage rack!" Now Darien knew where they were. It was all over now.

Pulling the compartment open, they each chose a bag and looked through it. Ray was lucky enough to get the one with the prize inside. When it was opened, the cats flew into Ray's face, the owner of which started screaming.

"Get them off! Get them off!" Ray kept swatting her face, and the two cats.

"Well, if you'd stop hitting us, we would get off!" screamed Artemis. Luna was to busy meowing.

"Alright, can you both explain to me _why _you hid in the luggage?!"

The pair was facing eight angry pairs of eyes. Ray was to busy taking care of her cut face to be present.

"Well, you see Bob, uh, we decided that the girls going to America alone was to dangerous!"

Artemis spoke next. "Yeah! We were just worried about them, that's all!" He laughed nervously.

The eight pairs of eyes stared right into them.

"Okay! We're sorry, alright?"

"No, its not." Darien slowly approached the two, then picked them up by their necks. "The Negaverse is destroyed. We have nothing to worry about, unless you two have been keeping something from us."

The pair's best excuse was "What about Area 51?"

* * *

"We found this transmission a few hours after you were incarcerated, sir. It was a bit of a gamble, but we knew."

Mondale was grinning as he listened to the conversation between his former operative and his former boss.

"Wraith, get us a plane to Vegas. We have a little party to throw."

The man answered in a voice that would make your blood run cold. "Yes, sir."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2- Viva Las Vegas

* * *

"Viva Las Vegas!" they all yelled in unison. After a quick costume change, the girls were in their best evening gowns, and the guys in some slick suits, the group was booking it down the famous Las Vegas strip, taking it all in, ZZ Top blaring on the limo's speakers.

"Wow! This is it! The actual Las Vegas! I can't wait to see it all!" Lita was practically falling out of the sunroof, almost begging to get a piece of the action.

Ray wasn't any better. "Alright! First thing I do is ride the Big Shot!" The girl was almost dancing in the limo.

"Hey, girls, calm down! You keep this up, we'll find ourselves in Lake Mead!" They stopped instantly, but Bob started laughing hard. "Oh, jeez! I didn't think you'd believe me!"

"But isn't it true that there's a man buried under the MGM?" asked Mina.

"Don't you mean Jimmy Hoffa under Giants Stadium?"

"Him too Ami!"

After a quick sigh all around, they returned to gazing at the strip. The neon lights set their faces afire, tempting each with their own version of heaven. Maxwell, however, was quiet.

"Bob," he finally said "How do you intend to pay for all this? I know nothing is cheap around here."

"Don't worry, Max! The US government has us covered!" He whipped out a Visa, a Mastercard, and an American Express. "With all of this, we won't go broke until doomsday!"

Reassured, the girls all jumped out the sunroof at the same time, causing them to get stuck.

"Anybody got a crowbar?" For his concern, Bob got kicked by six different pairs of heels.

* * *

"Mr. President!" The aide came running into the Oval Office, out of breath, general Eastwing not far behind. Along with them was the director of the FBI, Peter Kelling. "We have an emergency situation!"

"What is it? Have the liberators made another move?"

Panting, the general responded. "No sir," he took a deep breath. "But it's just as bad."

Kelling spoke up. "The van transporting Mondale was attacked. The drivers and guards were all killed. We don't know who did it."

The president did a double take. After the attack on Tokyo, the president had made a speech about how the world was more secure now than it ever had been. "What do we know?"

Kelling spoke again. "It was professional sir. It was probably a hostage lift. All the evidence says that Mondale was the target. In fact, all our evidence suggests that he was trying to be protected. This," he said, sliding a file across the president's desk "Is all the information we have."

Reading over it, Young looked up with a face full of shock and disbelief. "Tell me this is some sort of sick joke."

No one laughed.

"What about Apollo general? Is h- it secure?" The president almost slipped. Director Kelling wasn't cleared for above top secret.

"Yes, sir. Currently Apollo is secure below Groom Lake." The general was a little better. He was air force. He was used to dealing with classified intel.

Kelling either didn't notice or didn't want to give it away he knew something was up. "Mr. President, we already have roadblocks in place along the back roads and checkpoints on the highways. The airports are on high alert, and all trains are being stopped due to 'an escaped convict'."

"But there really is one," said Young.

"There is sir," stated Kelling. "But the public doesn't need to know who."

* * *

"Everyone, this is our home for the next week, six days, twelve hours." Bob opened the doors to their sweet in the MGM Grand. A six bedroom suite with all the comforts of a mansion. "Okay, first rooms. Lovers will _not_ be together, because none of us are ready to hear the moving of furniture." He winked at the two pair in the room, who each laughed nervously. "Second, ground rules. NO USE OF SCOUT POWERS!" Each word seemed to explode out of his mouth, causing everyone to recoil.

"Hey, calm down, Bob! What's the big deal, anyway?"

"Look, Serena, I know in Japan you've all been lucky in the fact that you haven't been discovered. But this is America! People are more noticing. They will notice if you're using a pocket computer, if you have a flaming sutra in your hand," he turned to Luna and Artemis, who were in the trunk during the ride over. "And especially if you talk to cats."

The felines laughed. "Well, you must admit, we have had some pretty close calls in the past."

Artemis backed up his other half. "Exactly! If anyone would have discovered us, it would have been back home!"

"That may be, Artemis, but back home, you could have been passed off as a toy."

"And a badly made one too!" giggled Mina. The others also sniggered, making Artemis a little peeved.

Bob remained stoic. "None the less, we don't have toys like that here. And if you talk to your pets in the US, you might want to get ready for a stay in a little white room."

They all agreed. If they were discovered, they were as good as dead.

"Well, we can't start our vacation tonight, so who wants tomorrow off?"

They all cheered. It was officially time to party!

* * *

"Excuse me sir, can I help you?"

The guard had only been hired a few months back, and was still too green to recognize when people should and shouldn't be near the airstrip.

"Yes, you can." A second later, a gun barrel was at the back of the guards neck. The man in front of him turned around to show himself to be disheveled and almost crazy looking. "I need the card to unlock this hangar. Open it for me, and you might live."

Nodding in fear, the guard reached slowly for his pocket and reached out the card, inserting it in the slot and entering his code. The doors opened, and while that was happening, he was shot. Dying on the ground, the man responded, "I said 'might'."

Wraith was pleased. He was trained to kill, and already he and his comrades were well at work, ten men dead. The first five in the van, the four at the fence, and this poor bastard here. He loved every minute of it.

"Sir," he turned to see Banshee, another assassin. "We have the location of their hotel. It's the MGM Grand."

Mondale laughed softly. "Didn't you have a mission there once, Wraith?"

Wraith nodded. "Well, that reporter was getting to close to the truth."

"Sir," said another assassin. "We have the plane ready. It was already fueled. We're waiting for your go."

Mondale nodded. "Let's go to Vegas gentlemen."

And so, silently, from the private VIP airport outside Washington DC, a group of twenty assassins and their leader lifted off into the night.

"Hey, Hank, look at this."

Hank walked over to the his friend in the radar seat. "What's that?"

The man shook his head. "I don't know. Was there a flight scheduled for now?"

Hank looked at the chart, then walked back. "No, there wasn't. I'll try to raise them."

"Unidentified flight, this is tower Beta. Please, state call sign, flight plan and destination, over."

Mondale turned to Wraith. "Do you have the special tools we'd need?"

Wraith nodded, and produced a strange weapon that looked like a large speaker with a trigger. Quickly, he went to the front of the rear to the cockpit.

"Hey, that looks like one of the Gulfstreams." Hank didn't really care, but instead was worried. If someone had the plane that wasn't supposed to, it meant his job.

"Unidentified aircraft, please state-" But he didn't finish. Instead he fell to the floor, silent.

"Hank! Oh, shit, Hank!" The second man rushed over to check for a pulse, and put the headset to his ears to see what happened. Instead, he too fell over, but instead screamed in pain for about a minute before his brain completely hemorrhaged.

In the jet, Wraith smiled. Two more. He hadn't had this much action since Grenada in the 80's.

* * *

"Seven!" The call made Lita jump for joy. Now she had two thousand more, making a total of two hundred thousand dollars!

"Yes! I win, I win, I win, I win-"

"My, you're doing well."

She turned to face a man with dirty blonde hair, deep brown eyes, and a smile that made every other girl at the craps table swoon, and the men to become wary.

"He's just like Freddy," though Lita, now in an absolute daze.

"Hey, maybe you should cash those in. A girl with two hundred thousand isn't exactly safe in Vegas."

Only vaguely aware of nodding, she walked off to the cashing cages.

"Wow, Mina, you were right! This place is amazing!" Molly was watching the spectacle before her unfold. The action in Treasure Island really was worth all the fanfare. The fact that her true love was behind her, holding her, made it all the better.

"Isn't it awesome? I wonder if I could convince Bob to come along." She had an almost maniacal look to her eyes, as she concocted a plan to separate the two of them from the others for a romantic night in Vegas. "Its to good to pass up!"

"Calm down Mina," said Maxwell. "If you all keep after him, it isn't going to end well, I can tell you that."

Laughing, Molly responded "And what would you know about love?"

"Only what I learned from you." He pecked her on the cheek.

"Rub it in why don't you." Mina suddenly took on an air of loathing.

"Yaa-hoo!" Ray had never felt more alive. In all her life, she had never experienced what she was doing right now. Plummeting straight down the very top of a needle hundreds of thousands of feet above the Las Vegas strip, in the middle of the morning!

As soon as the ride stopped, she went straight for the roller coaster below her. "If this is how all the rides are, I might not leave!"

"Amazing!" Ami couldn't believe what the two men were doing! There wasn't any scientific explanation! And she wore that confusion like a mask.

"Hey, look at that one over there!" Jay pointed the blue haired girl out to his wife of thirty years.

"I guess this is her first time in Vegas." The both turned back to the show, as the two Germans made a tiger disappear into thin air.

Nobody believed their eyes. In front of them, in full view of everybody, was a skinny, blonde haired girl in pigtails, wolfing down almost half of the MGM buffet!

"Oh my gosh, all this food! It's delicious!" Serena was wolfing down a steak, some corn, a side of mashed sweet potatoes, and for dessert, a plate of pumpkin pie slathered in whipped cream, and to drink, a large glass of Coke.

"Better put the kitchen on high alert," said one waiter to another, as Serena rushed back for another helping.

* * *

"Okay, Darien. Just stay quiet unless I give you the all clear, and whatever happens, do NOT look into the test chambers."

Both Bob and Darien were closing in on the famed Groom Lake Air Force base. THE Area 51. Darien could hardly believe it.

"What did you say they do here again?"

"Well, mainly testing of weapons and technology, but its also where I was trained." Bob remembered well. His skills were still as sharp as his pocketknife. Thankfully, Serena hadn't lost it on the mountain.

"I still don't understand all the secrecy. If its just weapons, why all the security?"

"Well, Darien, when it comes to weapons, the US is still light years ahead of everyone else. Imagine what the Liberators would have done to get their hands on this stuff."

"So why didn't they?"

Bob grinned ever so slightly. "You try fighting a microwave weapon."

They topped the ridge in their Jeep Cherokee and took in the strange beauty that was Area 51, including the warning that trespassers will be shot.

"It's just for show," said Bob. "If they really meant that, there wouldn't have been any pictures of it."

Darien wasn't at all relieved.

* * *

"It's a nice change of pace to meet a beautiful girl in the casinos," said the man, each word rimmed with charm.

Lita sat almost in a trance. "I guess so."

"You're a very lucky girl too." He sipped at his wine. "Not many people win that many times in a row in Vegas."

"I guess so."

A waiter arrived, left the check, and departed for another part of the restaurant. "Let me cover the check," he said, leaving two fifties on the table. "It was nice meeting you."

As he strode away, Lita realized something. "Wait!" She spun around in her chair. "You don't know my-" but he was gone. "Name." Sighing, Lita decided to grab her purse and leave. Then she noticed something else.

Her purse was gone, and with it, her sailor pen and communicator.

She ran screaming out of the restaurant. "STOP THAT THIEF!"

Luna and Artemis were walking the strip, careful to avoid getting crushed or noticed.

"My, this city is always moving!" Luna sidestepped a boot that was twice her size.

"Well, they say Americans like risk. Looks like its true too." He saw a police officer arresting three people, two women in miniskirts.

"Well," said Luna "At least we can finally have a nice, quiet vacation for once."

Artemis nodded, as they walked the length of the Las Vegas strip.

* * *

"We have to put down in Missouri, sir. Otherwise we won't have enough fuel for the plan."

Mondale nodded. The pilot was right. Unless they planned to walk the rest of the way, it was the only option.

"Wraith, are there any airfields that we can set down in where we won't be overtaken?"

Wraith got to work, and within minutes came back with the answer.

* * *

"Excuse me, young lady?" Ami turned and saw a middle-aged couple walking towards her. "Hi. We couldn't help noticing you in the theatre. I'm Jay, and this is my wife, Tina."

"Hi. I'm Ami." They shook hands.

"So, I guess this is your first time in Vegas, right?"

Ami was surprised, but they could read her expression. "Don't worry. First time we came to Vegas, we didn't know what to think of those two either. But eventually, you just go to enjoy the show."

Tina giggled. "Don't listen to him. Every time we go to see the show, he keeps looking for them to mess up."

Jay scratched his head. "Well, it doesn't hurt to keep an eye out."

"You come here often?"

They nodded. "You see," said Jay "We first came here in 83, and we've been in love with it ever since."

"So are you here with any friends?"

Ami nodded. "Sure! Come with me! Maybe she's still at the buffet."

"I'm treed." Mina was sitting on a bench with Molly and Maxwell, head practically touching the pavement.

"You mean 'stumped', right Mina?"

"Who cares, Maxwell," said Mina. "I can't think of any way to get alone with him." She started crying.

"Hey, Mina! Come on, its not the end of the world!" Molly really didn't want anyone to notice.

"Yes it is!" she sobbed. The tears were streaming out in a torrent. "He'll never know that I love him! I'll be an old maid! I'll never find anyone to love!"

"Molly, we'd better get her back to her room." Molly nodded, and, hailing a cab, the two took the inconsolable girl back to their hotel room.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but things like this happen all the time. Unless you can give us more information, I'm afraid there isn't much we can do."

Lita was standing outside the casino with the policeman, after giving her description of what happened and who stole the purse.

"The only good news is that this guy has been hitting this casino a lot lately. He usually targets single women who are getting lucky. As you can tell, he considers them a vulnerable target." Hastily, he added "Not that you're one." Finishing up with his notes, he got into his car. "If we have any information, we'll call you."

With that, the officer drove away, and Lita, inconsolable not because she lost her purse, but because she had forgotten about Bob, went back to her room, tears and mascara mixing as one.

"So full…" Each word dripped out like molasses. Serena had never felt this full, and it was likely she never would again.

"Serena! Is that you!" Serena turned her head to see Ami standing in surprise, with an older couple behind her laughing at her predicament.

"It seems your friend fell into the all you can eat trap." The man walked over and hoisted her up onto his shoulder. "They are good, but eventually you lose self control and just gorge." He nearly buckled when Serena put her full weight on. She was _heavy_!

"Oh my! Serena! Can you move?" Ami was worried about her friend, but was relieved when she heard a small "Uh-hu."

"We'd better take her back to your room," said Tina. "Where is it?"

* * *

"Attention Jeep Cherokee! You are on government property! Leave now, or we will open fire!"

"Uh, Bob? I think we should go now!" Darien looked nervously around, at all the men with guns and trucks slowly encroached on them.

"Don't worry. I know the magic word." Slowly, he started whistling the tune "Oly Oly Oxen Free".

"Hey, its one of ours!" yelled a voice. Slowly, the men lowered their weapons, and one, Darien assumed it was the leader, approached the SUV. As soon as he had a clear view of the front windshield, he yelled "Hey, its Poltergeist!"

Bob opened the door, and a loud yelling and whooping came from the assembled guards. The one in front was the first to get close enough for a handshake. "Bob, how are you? Its been almost a year! We thought you were dead!"

"Oh, come now! After those workouts, I thought you would know better, Frank." Bob motioned to his passenger. "Don't worry about Darien. He's cleared. Besides, he knows that if he blabs, we have to kill him." He winked at Darien, who slowly exited the Jeep. Entering one of the black Humvees, they drove off to the most secret facility in the world.

"This place is amazing!" Ray was standing at the start of one of the numerous hiking trails that outline Vegas. The desert was a silent beauty, added to not by the sound of cars or construction, but the quiet tune of songbirds and the wind on the brush. Loaded with water, food and a sleeping bag just in case, Ray set of for another great adventure.

"So, I heard about that action you had in Tokyo. That sounded like some whacked out shit, man."

Bob nodded. "Yeah, it was. Darien here was a help though. Without him and his friends, I would be nothing but bones by now."

Frank turned and shook Darien's hand. "Hey, man, if you ever need anything, you come to me. You help out a friend of ours, you deserve it. Especially if you had to put up with him!" Frank and the other men laughed at their inside joke.

"Well, I have to say, Bob is quite a character." Darien thought back to Bob leading the attack on the mountain.

"So, what's the latest from Dreamland?" Bob was grinning at the possibility to try out some new toys.

"You'll have to talk to DR. J about that. You know we don't have that kind of clearance."

They laughed at the inside joke all the way to the base.

* * *

"Lita? What are you doing here?" Molly was as surprised as Maxwell to see the tall girl there. It also looked like she was crying.

"Oh, hi Molly." Her voice was heavy with sadness and rejection. "I just decided to head up after I was done."

After Maxwell set Mina down, because the girl had tired herself out, he joined the conversation. "So, how much did you win?"

Lita started bawling. "It was stolen! My purse, my money, my pen, my communicator, everything!" The words came out along with a torrent of tears.

Molly and Maxwell hastily backtracked. "Well, I'm sure the police can find it, right Max?"

He nodded quickly. "Sure! The police here are twice as stubborn as the ones back home! They'll find the thief and throw him in jail before we leave!"

Lita was still crying quietly. "I don't care about any of that. It's that fact that he tricked me into forgetting about Bob." She hung her head and cried in silent.

"Molly, don't we have something to do?" Before she could protest, he hurried her out the door, into the hallway. "Whew, that was close."

"Would you mind telling me what that was all about?!" Maxwell backed up against the wall. He had never seen Molly like this. "We should be in there helping them!"

"No, Molly, we shouldn't." He half-walked, half-pushed her to the elevator. "They have to work out their problems with Bob on their own." They got to the elevator, and were surprised to see Ami, Serena, and an older couple exit the elevator.

"Oh! Maxwell, Molly! What are you doing back so early?" Ami and jay were leaning heavily under the weight of the still bloated Serena.

"Well, lets just say Mina and Lita are having some problems." She grabbed Maxwell's ear. "And this big chicken ran away when they needed some support."

"Ow! Let go of my ear!" After prying himself free and making sure that the ear was still attached, he continued with his explanation. "They're depressed. They think Bob is the center of their lives. They need to get their heads out of the clouds or they'll never recover."

Ami was hurt on the inside. She too was in love with the boy, but didn't think she was obsessed, was she?

Thankfully, Serena broke the silence by heaving up her breakfast and brunch.

* * *

"Instructor H! How are you?" Bob and the fat man embraced. Darien noted the mans almost comically large mustache.

"Robert! Its nice to know you've made it out of Tokyo alive! And," he said, turning to Darien "Its nice to meet Tuxedo Mask as well."

Darien recoiled big time.

"Don't worry!" cheered Bob. "I told you, I wouldn't let anyone I didn't trust know. And these guys deal in secrets all the time. If they blabbed, all their work would literally disappear."

Instructor H sniggered. "Robert, you always were a character. Even in training you never missed a joke." H turned to Darien. "The other trainees hated him for it, but everyone else found him to be a very admirable friend."

Darien agreed. "Yes, he is a good guy. He saved us all back in Tokyo. Without him, we'd all be radioactive dust."

H nodded. "We all owe a great deal to Robert here. Though I must admit, trouble usual follows him everywhere."

Bob changed the subject. "So, where's Doctor J and Professor G? I want to see if they have any new toys to play with." The sentence came out with Bob almost giggling.

"They're down in the test chamber. If you time it right, you could find their latest work; a plasma rifle that's scaled for vehicular use."

Grabbing Darien and running, they rushed inside the elevator, leaving Instructor H to his own devices above ground on the airfield.

* * *

"No! I can't be lost! This map must be wrong!" Looking for some sort of clue as to what happened, Ray found it. The map had a date that said "Recreation of actual map from the 1870's". Ray froze for a minute, then tore the thing up into little pieces, then lit the pieces on fire using her abilities. "I'm lost…"

The desert stretched on endlessly. There was no trace of civilization for miles. Her only company now was the sand, the sun, and the buzzards, who had evolved to know when a creature is doomed to die in the desert.

"This can't be how I die…"

* * *

"Hey, it's the director!" Instantly, the agents on-scene snapped to attention, only to get "Go back to work. We have an investigation to focus on." Walking over to the coroner, he wanted answers, and now.

"All indications say that death was nearly instantaneous. This one," he said, pointing to Hank's friend "Struggled a little before the end."

"Shot to the abdomen, then?" He was surprised at the answer.

"Negative, director. In fact," he said, turning over the body "There are no indications of any bodily harm. The only indication of death is the blood around the ears."

"Blood around the…ears?" The director was flabbergasted. "How could a busted eardrum kill him?!"

"I don't know director. But we've already ruled out poison and natural death." Moving out of the way for the baggers, the director nodded and left to make a phone call.

"A Gulfstream jet sir," said the voice on the other line. "Range of 5,800 miles. We've already ruled out a flight across the ocean, so we've already alerted the FAA to inform any airports east of the Mississippi to be on the lookout."

"So," said president Young. "What other evidence have we found?"

"We'll, the guards have no identifying marks that they were with the enemy, but they show all the evidence of being taken out without knowing where the shots came from. The enemy must be trained in stealth combat."

"Alright, Kelling. Have your agents stake out any airport that can handle a jet of that make, inform local law that they are ordered to avoid contact at all costs. Is that clear?"

"Crystal sir." The other end went dead, and the president turned to Eastwing.

"Sir," said the Air Force general "Apollo was trained at Groom Lake. In fact, he still has a lot of friends out there. I remember reading the reposts. He was the only subject who kept his humanity. They will help him."

Young nodded. "Do you think Mondale orchestrated his own escape to look like a capture?"

Eastwing blinked. "Sir?"

"I said," the president walked to the windows of the Oval Office. "Do you think it is possible that Mondale organized his own extraction, and made sure it would look like a kidnapping?"

The general started stammering. "Its…its possible, sir…but…wasn't he close to hated in the CIA?"

Young nodded. "Yes, he wasn't exactly popular in the newer intelligence community, but to the old guard," but Young didn't continue. He didn't have to.

"I'll get right on it, sir." Once out of the office, he whipped out his cell phone. "Major, start getting some information on Mondale's contacts within the CIA." A pause. "Yes, major, everything. From declassified to above Top Secret."

* * *

"Hey Doctor J- WOAH!" Bo and Darien ducked just in time. A second more standing up, and the shot of superheated plasma would have turned them into ash.

"Robert! It's nice to see you again." The man raised his test glasses to reveal a pair of bionic ones. Though more refined than the ones that have been made public, they still didn't have the sophistication of real eyes. "We all heard about what you did in Tokyo. I'm glad to see our work is well-used, right Professor G?"

The second man raised his glasses. He still had his real eyes, but was short and had a mushroom shaped head of hair. "Indeed. You're actions certainly proved that you were still capable of human emotion. I personally thought that you'd become like the rest."

"What others?" Darien scratched his head in confusion.

"Uh, guys? He doesn't need to know everything in one sitting." Walking over to the testing table, he picked up the weapon on it. "So, you finally solved those conductor issues?"

Doctor J walked over. "Yes, though it was actually easier than we expected."

"Guys? Civilian here who has no clue?"

"Ah, yes. Tuxedo Mask. Or is it Darien when you use your alter ego?" The small man circled Darien. "Yes, we need your help with a crucial experiment we are conducting. Could we ask you for some help?"

Darien didn't know what to say, so Bob answered for him. "Sure he will! Just no radiation, okay?"

Smiling ominously, the pair led the two to an elevator, leading them deeper into the facility.

* * *

"Its not even night, and we've had more bad luck than a day with the Negaverse." They all nodded with Lita's statement. Luckily for Molly and Maxwell, they had decided to leave the hotel with Jay and Tina.

"I wish Bob was here. He had a way of making any situation better." They all thought back to their experiences in Tokyo. Each of them had a special memory of him in the crisis.

"Hey," said Serena, finally waking up from the food coma. "Where's Ray? What time is it? She said she would be back by 11:30."

They all looked to the clock and then panicked. It was 12 noon! She was a half hour late! She was never late!

* * *

Whipping out his rose, Darien transformed from a normal man into Tuxedo Mask, the guardian of the Sailor Scouts.

Doctor J and Professor G were behind a glass screen, monitoring the energy coming from the transformation.

"Incredible!" said Dr. J. "These readings shouldn't even be here! Radiation, EMP, none of these should be here! It's almost like he's a being made of energy!"

Just then, Bob's cell phone rang. Picking it up, his expression went from calm to worried anger. "Dammit!" he yelled. "Darien, we have to go, now! Ray got lost in the desert!"

Transforming back, Darien and Bob rushed for the elevator. "Sorry Doc, we'll have to do this another time!"

All the doctors did was turn back to their readings. "We have a lot of data to handle, G."

* * *

Ray was too tired to be scared. The heat slowly drained her energy. The buzzards circled in lazy arcs, taking their time with their latest meal.

"I can't keep walking," she said, and she fell down under the shade of a large mesa. Pulling out her water, she found she didn't have a lot of water left. "I hope someone finds me." Then, under the strain of the immense heat, she blacked out.

"Keep trying her communicator!" Luna, along with Artemis and the hastily collected scouts were riding hard and fast in a rented Jeep into the park where Ray said she was hiking. Coming to the ranger's station, they all ran inside, surprising the man on duty.

"Uh, hi! Can I, uh, help you?" He never had this many visitors at one time, especially on a weekday.

"Our friend is out there! She's lost! We need you to find her!" The girl with the brown hair was especially pushy.

"Hold on. What is her description? Does she have a name? Where did she say she was hiking?"

"That's not enough!" The man slammed his fist down on the edge of the counter, causing the ranger to reach for his gun.

The one with the straight blond hair quickly defused the situation. "Max! Calm down!" She turned to the ranger. "Listen, is there anything you can do?"

The ranger shook his head. "We can't call in the big stuff like a helicopter unless the person is officially declared missing. I can call in the other rangers to this area, but that's about it."

"Then it's the best we have." The smaller brown haired girl went for the door. We'll split up. You!" she pointed at the ranger. "Go with him!" She pointed at the brown haired man. "Mina! You and Lita go together, Ami, Serena and I will go to the north."

The other girls stared at the fifth one in amazement, until she screamed "WELL? MOVE IT!"

Without missing a beat, they all left the station in different directions.

"Hey, Molly," said Serena "What just happened back there?"

"One of my friends is in danger! And I'm the agent of friendship, right?" The other two understood. If a person was considered a friend by one of them, that person was a friend to all of them.

Then the communicator rang. "This is Bob to Serena, Bob to Serena! Pick up Serena!"

Grabbing at the device, and then dropping it in the sand, she quickly got Bob on-screen. "What is it Bob?"

"We've gotten a map at the park from where we were. If it's right, we are on the opposite end of it. We'll start our sweep there, and work our way to you girls, comprende?"

Serena nodded, and sent the message to the other girls. Ray was going to be found, no matter what!


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3- Surfacing

* * *

"Hey, Ryan," said Tim "Did we have any 'special' flights today?"

Ryan walked over to the radar panel and saw something that shouldn't be there. A small jet liner. "No," he responded. "Call security."

After 9/11, the federal government decided that a small number of brush airports would be modified to allow for the handling of jet aircraft. The small brush airport in Missouri that the Gulfstream was landing at was one of those few.

"Attention unidentified aircraft! This is the police! If you have hostages, let them exit the plane now, and we will start negotiations!"

The officer didn't have to wait. Within seconds, two men in pilots outfits and one in a messed up business suit slowly walked down the ramp, followed by at least twelve men with guns.

"Please!" said the man in the suit. "They say they have a bomb on-board the plane! They want to refuel, and then leave! That's all they want!" He started breaking down. "My family is still inside! Please, get them to let them go!"

The police and security was in a bind. If they let the terrorists get their demands, then the hostages might be let off. Or the terrorists could kill them or kill some and keep the rest.

Then, one of the pilots turned and attempted to disarm one of the terrorists. The gun went off, and found a mark in the body of a sharpshooter. Then the others opened fire and wiped out the police. One of them had a LAW, and before a call could be made, he fired it on the control tower. Another fired on the office, completing their first objective.

"Excellent job, Wraith." Mondel was standing to the side with the man while his men re-fueled the jet, making sure it would make the trip the rest of the way.

"Just doing my job, sir." He was glad he was picked to do the shooting. That sniper thought he was so smart…

"Wraith," said Banshee. "We have a problem."

Looking over the body, Wraith wanted to scream. It was a reporter! And a cameraman! "Dammit!" He punched the body. Now the local news knew, and within hours, so would the national news.

"No op. is without its problems," said Mondale, who started walking back to the jet. "Pick up the camera and see if it still works. Take it with us if it does."

Not knowing what his boss was planning, Wraith did as ordered.

* * *

"Ray! Ray! Where are you!" Bob was high atop a rocky outcrop. Before him, the desert which had consumed a friend. He and Darien both agreed that they would not stop searching until she was found. Luckily, some of the men from Area 51 asked permission to help, and thankfully had gotten permission to send out the black helicopters.

"Bob," said Darien. "I think you should come look at this."

Rushing over, Bob saw a good sign. In the sand, barely visible, were footprints. Female footprints.

"That way! Come on, we found her!" Rushing back to the Jeep, they hit the gas, praying they weren't too late.

Ray awoke to a sharp pain in her left arm. Turning, she saw a buzzard pecking at it.

"AH! Get away! Get away from me!" After getting hit by a fist, the buzzard flew back to its circling companion.

Now Ray felt the heat again. "Wonder how long I've been out here," she thought. Just then she saw a dust cloud approaching the mesa. "Great, now I'm hallucinating."

"Okay, Ray's a pretty smart girl, so she would probably head for any shade available. That mesa," Bob pointed "is our best bet at finding her."

She saw it clearly now. An SUV heading straight for her. She couldn't see inside the windows, but she knew it was real. "Please, help…"

"There!" Yelled Bob, letting go of the steering wheel for a minute, causing both himself and Darien to panic. Quickly, he regained control.

"You want to NOT do that again?!" Darien looked ahead and saw Ray leaning against a rock, weakly waving her arm for help.

Within seconds, the SUV got to Ray, and both men leaped out to help their friend.

"Alright, Darien, be careful," Bob noticed the cuts on her left arm. "Jeez, Ray, you and animals don't exactly get along, do you? Darien, get the first-aid kit."

Nodding, he got the kit from the back of the SUV, while Bob checked on Ray.

"Ray, Ray! Come on, stay with me!" He checked her water, and saw she had drank almost all of it. He looked for a pulse, and, though it was weak, found it. "Ray, wake up now, we're here. Soon, everyone's going to be here to help." Then he remembered something very important. "Black Eagle, this is Apollo, come in please."

"Roger Apollo, this is Black Eagle."

"Black Eagle, you want to hightail it back to dreamland before the park ranger spots you?"

"Roger Apollo. You owe us for this one, hear me?"

"Loud and clear, Black Eagle." Turning back to Ray, he saw she had opened her eyes, but they were unfocused and glazed. "Okay, Ray?" She barely responded. "Listen, I'm going to give you some water." He got her canteen and slowly let her drink, and after he and Darien bandaged her arm, she was back to normal.

"Bob?" He nodded. "Darien?" Another nod. "Where am I?"

"Right now," said Darien, "You're fine." He looked at Bob. "I told everyone else where we are, so," he turned back to Ray. "We can move you in a few minutes, okay?"

She nodded lightly, and leaned against Bob. "Thank you…"

After getting Ray checked out at the hospital for moderate dehydration, they went back to the hotel, Bob wearing an air of sadness.

* * *

"I'm sorry, guys," he said, throwing himself on the couch. "I guess my great vacation got the 'National Lampoon' treatment."

Everyone else sat down and decided that they wouldn't talk about Lita's purse, or he might throw himself out a window.

"Hey! I know!" screamed Serena. "Let's watch some cartoons!"

"Yes," said Mina. The fading sun cast her in a very lonely outline. "I think we all need some laughs right now."

Turning on the TV, they all saw a terrible sight.

"We are here live in Kentucky, where not long ago, there was a hostage situation involving at least a dozen terrorists and a family of four." The reporter on the TV was standing in front of what looked like a ruined airport terminal. "At 5:34 Central time, a Gulfstream jet landed at this small airport, on an unscheduled landing. After police formed a cordon around the jet, the terrorists produced the two pilots and their presumed boss, who said that his family was also being held hostage."

The group stared at the TV in utter shock, until Bob got up and shut off the TV, hanging his head in shame. "Well," he said "I have officially killed the greatest vacation idea in history."

Ami got up to go and comfort him. "Bob," she said. "No one could have seen this coming." She looked like she was about to cry. "Everyone has an off day. This is…just one of them." Hugging him, she started bawling her eyes out. "We just wanted to be with you."

Lita rose too, and threw in her two cents. "You couldn't have stopped that guy from stealing my purse! You couldn't have stopped that attack! You shouldn't beat yourself up like this!" She too was crying, though in a more controlled manner.

Mina and Ray just looked at the spectacle, also crying.

The two couples decided to leave them all alone, and take in the city while they sorted this out.

* * *

"Excellent job Wraith," said Mondale, stripping off the duct tape from his ankles. "With that tape, the government should be convinced that I'm your hostage."

"My pleasure. But what about the president? If he digs up our plan-"

"Don't worry. I had one of our techs organize the fail-safe. In the event that I might be captured or arrested, all the files would be incinerated automatically."

He was telling the truth. Before the generals staff could get to them, all the files in Mondale's office were dropped into the CIA incinerator. Any files on Mondale's desktop and laptop were deleted. In minutes, all the answers to the president's questions disappeared in a puff of smoke.

* * *

"I can't believe this!" The major was in Mondale's office, and right now was wishing he wasn't. There were no files in the cabinet, the laptop was wiped, and the desktop was now a very large paperweight. "Any luck with that one, lieutenant?"

The other man shook his head. "All the cabinets are empty. Its like the guy decided that some spring cleaning was in order." He stopped and sighed. "The general won't like this."

Just then, Roger Tiame walked in with a folder and saw the air force men. "Uh, hi?"

Instantly, the three started fighting for the folder.

"This is a military investigation!" cried the major. "If you obstruct it in any way, we will have you arrested!"

"Get off of me!" yelled Tiame. "I only came in here to get the other files!" He tried to claw his way out from under the pile, but was held in check by the lieutenant.

"Yeah right," yelled the two bar. "We checked those cabinets! There's nothing in 'em! You spooks cover your tracks good, huh?"

"What?!" Tiame shot out from under the pile, leaving the pair struggling with each other for a minute. The CIA man ripped through the cabinets and tore through the computers, swearing along the way.

"Wait," said the lieutenant. "You mean you didn't erase the files?"

Tiame looked like a madman. "Of course I didn't! I was trying to help you guys!" He calmed down, and walked back to the two officers. "When I heard he was arrested, I decided that now was the time to send the Pentagon the information he had."

"What information?" Secretly, the major turned on a listening device in his cap. The CIA isn't the only agency devoted the intelligence, after all.

"Well, I shouldn't talk about that here." He walked to the door. "We should be in the Pentagon. Take me there, and I'll tell you what I know."

* * *

It was night in Vegas. The neon glittered like hundreds of individual stars, and it was all visible from the penthouse terrace. Bob had locked himself in his room, and none of the girls were willing to go out, for fear that he might do something drastic.

"I hope he gets better soon," said Mina, staring at Treasure Island, imagining herself as a fair maiden, and Bob as her dashing sailor.

"Yeah," said Lita. "He must be taking this really hard." She remembered his face when she told him about her purse being stolen. Then she knew he cared.

"Maybe we should do something to prove that this vacation isn't a total bust?" Ami looked over Vegas, looking for anything they could do.

"That's it!" yelled Ray, causing the people from the terrace below them to look up in mild surprise. "We should take him on a tour of Vegas! He's been so concerned about us, he hasn't had any time to enjoy himself!"

They all thought it was a great idea, but not because they would be together. It was a chance to get alone with Bob for a romantic day.

"Alright!" they screamed as one. Tomorrow, they would take Bob on the vacation of his life!

* * *

"Master O," said J. "We have the finished data from the test earlier."

Looking over the files made by J and G, O looked indifferent. "This is all?" he asked, confused at the lack of information.

"We did every possible test an the data," said G "and our only conclusion is that these Sailor Scouts are not fully human."

O looked over the files from Masks transformation again. No, something was missing.

* * *

"Sir," said Banshee. "We are entering Nevada airspace. We should be over the box within three hours."

Nodding, Mondale turned to his assembled assassins. "The plan is simple. You men," he pointed to Banshee's team. "You will go into the city itself and hunt them down. They should reveal themselves after Wraith and his team get to work." He walked to the rear of the plane and strapped on his parachute. It had been a long time since 'Nam, but he knew he still had it.

The dawn came slowly to Bob's room. The first rays hit his eyes, and he opened them to find four pairs of eyes staring at him.

"WOAH!" He jumped out of the bed in the clothes he wore yesterday, and flew at least a foot to the other side of the room.

Then, Serena and Artemis walked in from their night on the town to find this. "Oh my!" said Luna.

"Thanks for showing up!" he yelled. "Now, can you two call them off so I can figure out what's going on?!"

After a quick shower and change, Bob walked out to see the four girls grinning wildly at him.

"Oh, its going to be a long day." Putting on his best happy face, he sat down and looked at the clock. It read 7:14. "Any reason why you got me up so early?"

Mina spoke first. "Well," she slid next to Bob so fast, it made them double take. "We figured that since you were so nice in getting us this trip, we would thank you by taking you to…" she whipped out a poster. "The hottest park in Vegas, Wyld's World!"

Bob stared at the poster. He had heard about the new park, built by the "esteemed" Jacob Wyld, who billed it as "The most insane park this side of the Mississippi!"

Lita spoke next. "We guessed you'd never be here before, so it's the perfect place to restart this vacation!"

Ray and Ami nodded.

Bob looked Ray with worried eyes. "Are you sure you can handle going out after yesterday?"

She nodded. "Of course!" She stood up in an action pose. "I'm a priestess, after all! A little desert isn't going to get to me!"

"Well, what are we waiting for?" said Ami. "If we get there early enough, they let you on the rides for free!"

"Wait!" They stopped at the door. "Where's everyone else?"

"Oh, I just remembered." Ami said. "They all went to Adventureland for the day! So its just us and you!"

Grabbing him, they forced him into the elevator, and into an interesting day.

* * *

The wind felt good. Wraith hadn't done a jump in a long time, and now that he was again, he remembered the rush that came with it. The thrill of plummeting hundreds of feet to the ground, all the while ready to fell the tug that told you that you still lived.

Nearby, Mondale was reliving his time in Vietnam. He remembered the Golden Triangle, and how it was his work that made it all disappear. It was that dedication that earned him his last position.

Landing on the outskirts, the two teams split. The plane, on autopilot, would fly over Groom Lake and get shot down. Team 1 would find Apollo and kill him. Team 2 would destroy the hotel room, and, hopefully, the Sailor Scouts. Mondale and two others would stay behind to act as a control of sorts.

* * *

"Here I come Darien!" Serena slammed his bumper car on the left, causing him to lose his balance and almost fall into the path of another.

"Ah!" Pulling himself back in, he looked for Serena and found her. Gunning the small device, he caught her in a fishtail and sent her spinning into the side of the arena.

"Oh," she said, as she tried to remember which way was up.

Meanwhile, Maxwell and Molly were riding one of the many indoor roller coasters. "Ah! Max!" Molly dug herself deep into his side as the cars shot around the steel rods that held the ride in place.

"Don't worry!" he yelled. "The best part is not knowing what happens next!"

"Replay that recording general."

* * *

The general pressed the reset button on the player, and the interview with Tiame replayed.

"Interview number 46285-3467B. Conductors, General Eastwing, USAF, and Major Terrance Wallace, USAF. Subject, Roger Tiame, analyst for the CIA." The generals voice came loud and clear over the device. "Please state your name for the record."

"Roger Tiame." The voice sounded nervous and scared.

"And what was your job for the CIA?"

"I was a contact for our agents out in the field. I was their connection to Langley in case anything went wrong."

The major spoke up. "You said 'their'. Are you saying there were other Poltergeists?"

Tiame swallowed before he continued. "Well, not exactly. You see, back in 1977, the Agency decided that assassins like those in 'The Manchurian Candidate' were unreliable at best. So, we decided that we would take ready made assassins out of the population."

"Yes," said Eastwing. "We read the psyche profiles. It says Poltergeist was looking to get rid of some guilt."

"Yes, well, Poltergeist was one of our more human candidates." The voice became even more nervous, as if it was going to deep into forbidden territory.

"These other candidates," said the major's voice. "What were they? Where did they come from?"

"Well, mainly they were convicted felons who were given a chance to serve in order to keep from dying."

"You mean," said the general, who sounded like he was about to unleash his rage. "That we let death row inmates have access to high quality weapons and let them loose on the world?"

"Well," the small voice said, but the major beat him to the punch.

"What kind of relationship did Mondale have with these men?"

"It was a creepy one actually. No homo or nothing, but" he paused, probably unsure how to continue. "He let them keep some of the weapons at their houses, some explosives. Poltergeist was the only one we could consider sane. Now, I don't know what happened to those files," said the voice, "But something is going to happen. If you find Poltergeist, Mondale won't be far behind."

The general stopped the recording, and looked at the president. The man wore a face of sadness and desperation. "What's the latest news on that airport in Missouri?"

"Kelling says it was the same team. He thinks that they used the family as a ruse. But he still thinks Mondale isn't the mastermind, merely a hostage."

"Good," said Young. "Until it is absolutely necessary, we don't tell Kelling about what is really going on. Agreed."

The general remained silent, but then responded. "Sir, this is exactly what happened with the liberators."

With that, Eastwing left the office, and the president sat down again. Listening to the tape again, he pondered over the right decision.

* * *

The park was amazing. The "Tomb of the Emperor Ride" particularly harrowing. Lita, Ray and Bob were screaming at the good time. Ami and Mina were just screaming. "Calm down, you two!" he yelled over the other passengers. "It's just a ride! There's nothing to worry about!" Raising the laser gun, he tagged another fake monster.

After the ride, they settled down in a food court, discussing what to go on next.

"I say we go on this one!" Ray was pointing to the giant bungee jump that was near the food court. Ami and Mina looked at it like it was a giant cockroach.

Then Lita saw someone she hoped she would never see again. "Hey you!"

The thief turned from his latest target, but before Lita could even blink, Bob was up and running at the man. Lita followed, while the others stood up, but they didn't have the chance to run after them. Rounding a corner, the man turned and flipped out a switchblade. When Bob rounded the corner, he tried to skewer him with it. Bob ducked to the ground, then dove for the man's legs. They fell, and Lita arrived. Bob grabbed the mans arms, pinning them behind his back.

"Alright," he said, panting. "Tell my friend here what you did with her purse, or I assure you, your romantic life will take a turn for the worse."

The man quivered but remained difficult. "Screw you, a-hole! I got my own problems!"

"I was afraid it would come to this." He twisted the thief's arm even more, then looked at Lita. "Could you please show our friend here what would happen if he didn't tell us where the purse is?"

Lita got the message, and threw a vicious right at the mans thigh. He collapsed. "Now," said Bob "Where is the nice girls purse?"

"My apartment!" he cried. "2F, 35 Willis Street! Near the park!"

Bob dropped the man to the ground. "Thank you. Now, turn yourself in, before I get really mad." Not waiting, the man ran out of the park, and found the nearest officer to turn himself in.

"Nice job back there, Lita." The pair was walking back to the others, who were still at the food court. Lita was blushing. "Um, is everything alright?"

Lita looked Bob full in the face, she saw him for real. He wasn't just some warrior from the Lunar kingdom. She remembered how whenever the Princesses had a problem, they could go to Apollo for anything.

"Yes," she said. "Everything's alright now." Hugging him, she looked up, then kissed him on the check. "Do you understand?"

He nodded. "Yes, I do." He kissed her back, but not on the lips. He still didn't know which one it was. He didn't want to hurt them, either.

* * *

"Housekeeping?" Wraith looked like an idiot, but he didn't feel like one. He had been in stupider outfits in his line of work. Knocking again, he silently produced some tools from the laundry basket and proceeded to take down the door. Within minutes, his task was complete, and he walked back to the laundry room to change and get back to base. Everything was going to plan.

"So, do you think they'll be glad to see this?" Tina had bought nine tickets to a show that night, so they knew they had enough for everyone.

"Don't worry honey. They'll love the show!" They walked up to the penthouse door and knocked. "Hello! Anyone there!" There was no answer, but they saw the door open slightly. "Jeez," said Jay. "They must not realize that all the doors close automat-"

The blast was smaller than it could have been, but the deed was done. As Jay opened the door, the bomb was triggered, and the blocks of C4 hidden throughout the penthouse sparked at once. Jay and Tina never stood a chance.

* * *

Bob and Lita were standing over a bridge that was over a waterway used for paddleboats. They had both talked themselves out, and now simply stared at the midday sun in its lazy arc.

"Bob," said Lita, finally breaking the silence. "You said back in Tokyo that you couldn't have a girlfriend. Why is that?"

Bob looked uncomfortable. "Well, my missions earned the US a few enemies. I wasn't allowed to have a girlfriend because if my real identity was discovered, the enemy might take her as a bargaining chip. And I couldn't let that happen to someone I love."

They went into silence again, but Lita put her hand over Bob's. He looked at the hands, then at her, then smiled.

"Ahem!" The moment was broken when Ray's voice sounded behind them. Lita's face became both embarrassed and pained.

Slowly, Bob turned his head and laughed. "Oh! Hey girls! What's up?"

Not waiting, the three grabbed Lita and dragged her away, pressing her for details once Bob was out of range. He didn't see them for fifteen minutes, though occasionally he thought he heard animal growls.

"Well, that was an interesting conversation!" said Mina, walking out from behind the bushes.

"Indeed," Ami said darkly, glaring at a nervously laughing Lita.

Ray stormed out, silent in rage.

Just then gunfire erupted from the main concourse. Seconds later, people came running from there, some yelling for the police, some for a doctor. Some were bleeding, others helping the wounded.

"Hold it!" Bob grabbed one of the runners. "What the hell is going on?"

"I'll tell ya! Some nuts are shooting up the middle of the park! I don't know about you," said the man, wrenching himself from Bob's grip "But I'm getting out of here!"

Bob looked towards the middle of the park, then back at the girls. "Ready for some action, ladies?" They nodded, grinning. Whipping out his rapier, Bob shouted "For the Queen and Princess!"

Banshee couldn't remember when he'd had so much fun. The amusement park was full of eligible targets, and the police on scene had been dealt with quickly, though they had put up some fight. And, the best part, he would finally kill that pest Poltergeist! Laughing with glee, he opened up on some teenagers hiding behind a trashcan.

Then a hail of bullets hit the pavement in front of him, making him miss. Looking up, he saw a figure with an M4 carbine. "Shouldn't you be in Iran, Banshee?"

Banshee laughed. "Look who's the big man now! I always thought Tokyo was no big deal. Why else would Mondale send a punk like you."

"You're one to talk. Who got sent to juvie at age eleven?"

Then the sailor scouts appeared, and Banshee laughed even harder. "Oh Jesus! You know, Poltergeist, I always thought you didn't have the balls to be a ladies man. Hell, in training, we had a pool to see if you were homo or not! I guess they don't know you very well."

Apollo's eyes bored into the man, until he turned and shot the assassin that was sneaking up behind them while Banshee was a distraction.

"Sharp as ever, but to slow!" Banshee fired his SAW, causing everyone to dive out of the way.

"Venus Crescent Beam!" The light shot out of Venus' finger, hitting the weapon dead on. Just then, sirens approached the park.

"I think its time we left gentlemen!" The other assassins ran, and Banshee stayed long enough to say, "You may have survived, but the others are long gone." Vanishing into a tunnel, the police cruisers arrived, and the police yelled at the scouts and Apollo to get down on the ground. Lita, thankfully, was still okay. Thinking quickly, she ran for the street and hailed a cab.

* * *

As is the case in many American cities, many people get their news from the fronts of TV stores. Today was no exception, as Maxwell noticed a small crowd in front of a store claiming to have the greatest deals this side of Vegas.

"Oh no! That can't be them!" said Serena, as she saw Apollo and the scouts being led in handcuffs into police cruisers. Then a reporter in a station came on screen.

"The attacks is believed to have been carried out in conjunction with the bombing of a suite in the MGM Grand hotel. The four here asked to have their faces blurred, but rumors are currently circulating that these may be the same people who were responsible for the attack on a Missouri airport two days ago…"

They didn't wait for the news. Running into an alley, they all transformed into heroes and went to help their friends.

"General, I have issued a new executive order." Young stood up and walked to the window. "In it, I have made it clear that any terrorist willing to work with the US will be offered amnesty for any past crimes committed against us."

The general, the major, and the lieutenant stood as if they were transformed into statues, until Eastwing finally spoke. "Uh, sir? Do you really think that's a good idea?"

The president nodded. "These are the only people who could possibly help us against the ones already acting. Specifically, some RIRA men who we've had previous dealings with."

The general got the message. Then the president continued. "I've decided to give Kelling limited clearance on the most recent information. We won't let him listen to the tape, but we will tell him why what happened has been happening."

"I'll get right on it sir."

* * *

"Attention, unidentified aircraft! You have entered a restricted airspace! Please turn back, or you will be shot down!"

The pilot in the F-16 got no response. The Gulfstream just kept flying in a straight line across the exclusion zone over Area 51.

"Master O, what's our next action?" The man stood over the radio controls, wracking his mind, until, finally, "Shoot it down."

"Roger." The pilot solemnly did his duty and acquired a lock on the empty aircraft. In seconds, a Sidewinder II missile destroyed it, exactly as planned.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4- Leaving Las Vegas

* * *

"Mr. President-"

"Don't tell me," said Young, stopping the aide dead. "Area 51 is under attack?"

The aide stared, amazed that the president knew what he was going to say. "Um, yes sir. A Gulftstream jet was shot down directly in the center of the restricted zone."

At the mention of "Gulfstream", the president shot up from his seat and started dialing for Kelling.

"What?! Sir, why in God's name did you keep this information from me?" Kelling was in his office, thankful that he didn't have any other appointments today.

"You know that you're not cleared for above top secret, Pete." The president's voice was as monotone as possible. To the director, it was like he was trying to keep from doing something he'd regret.

"Sir, I understand that, but with all due respect, I think that rule flew out the window a few days ago."

On the other end, the president brooded in silence. "Listen Pete, I had a tough call to make. But none of that matters now. What I'm worried about is Apollo. He follows orders, but he's also very headstrong. When he finds out that Mondale is loose, he might go after him, and I don't want that boy killed. Find him, and his friends, and make sure they get to the capitol safe."

"Sir," said Kelling, flipping on CNN "That might be harder than you think."

* * *

Frank heard it. The tune of "Oly Oly Oxen Free". He turned expecting Bob. What he got was a face full of 5.56. The other guards nearby were neutralized in the same manner. In seconds, Wraith and his team had control of the outer perimeter of Area 51. It was only a matter of time now.

"So, you're the questioner?" Apollo was sitting in an interrogation room, complete with two-sided mirror. He was still in his fatigues, sans helmet.

"That's right. I'm detective Jim Brass, LVPD." The man in front of Apollo wasn't exactly fat, but not skinny. He was balding, and wore a suit that said, "I just want to be friendly."

"So, lets start off with what your name is."

"I've already told you, my name is Apollo. I work for the government."

"Yes, you've told us that already. I just want to know why you were in an amusement park with an assault rifle."

"You never know what's going to happen these days."

"Oh, yeah I know. Personally I don't trust the clowns, with all that paint-"

"Cut the bull, detective." Brass' calm exterior wavered for a second. "I'm telling you, there were other men at that park, the actual bad guys. If you act fast, you can beat them. Check the security vids."

"We did." The sentence made it sound like there was to be no more words out of Apollo, period. "There were other men with weapons, but right now, you're the only lead we have."

"What about that guy I shot?"

"What guy? Officers swept the entire area. There wasn't any body with a gun near it."

"That sly son of a," Then Bob looked straight at Brass. "Listen, I know who did this, but you have to let me and the girls go! We can stop something really bad from happening, but you have to let us out!"

Back in the holding area, the girls huddled together, afraid of the other prisoners, who were staring at them with hungry eyes.

"Its over," cried Mercury. She hadn't stopped crying since they put her in the cell.

"Don't worry, Mercury," said Venus. "We've been in tougher spots! All we have to do is stay strong."

"Its not that!" she wailed. "If any college finds out I've been arrested, they won't take me!"

Just then, Mars screamed, and turned to find the man in the next cell with his hand where her rear was. "Fire Soul Bird!" In seconds, the man was singed. Not killed, but singed.

"You girls better be careful." They turned to see an aged man in the other cell across from them. From the looks of him, he was a drunk.

"What do you mean?"

"I know who you are, Sailor Venus. I've seen the news. Some Americans aren't as quick to forget as others." He laughed, the kind of laugh that sounds off the lungs of a dying man. "You see, the police saw you at the scene, and they saw you in a threatening position. They assumed you were the enemy."

"But why arrest us?" bellowed Mars. "We were on their side! You even said we were on the news!"

"That's just it." He got up and walked to the bars. "In America, we have a few more nuts than Japan. Life just gets to some of them." He turned his finger in a clockwise motion at the side of his head. "So, they see heroes like you, they assume its someone like them."

"Ah, shut up you old gringo," said a Hispanic man from two cells over. "I just see three chicas somewhere they ain't supposed to be," he eyed them up. "And somewhere where clothes like that could send the wrong meaning."

* * *

Lita arrived at the apartment block. It was a dingy place. The whole neighborhood smelled of squalor and decay. All around, people made due with what they had. It was the kind of place a girl like Lita stood out.

"Have to be careful." Slowly, she walked up the steps, and, looking over the numbers, saw 2f, she slowly made her way upstairs. Once there, she slowly surveyed the door, and, seeing it was weak, gave it a good kick. It tumbled, and she cautiously went inside.

The place was a wreck. All around were dirty clothes, purses, wallets, even knives. Rooting around, she found her purse, money and her sailor gear. As she was leaving, she realized something. Looking around, she found a phone, and dialed 911.

"Hello, Las Vegas police."

"Hi, I'd like to report a robbery." Lita thought her voice sounded to calm, but it wasn't the time to worry about how to act.

"Ma'am, where are you?"

She decided to spice it up. "I'm at apartment 2F, 35 Willis Street and…Oh God, they're in the apartment! Please, send help!" Then she started kicking around some of the items on the floor, then hung up. That should get their attention.

* * *

They all heard it. A blast from the front of the station. In an instant, every officer in the immediate vicinity was rushing for the front lobby.

"Brass," yelled Apollo. "If you don't let me go, this will only get worse!"

"Not now," Brass screamed back. "If some of your friends decided to set you free, its my job to stop them." Ducking through the door, he raced to the front of the building, gun ready, leaving Apollo chained to a bar.

"You police have arrested the wrong people!" yelled the figure in the dust. The station had no SWAT team, and had no special weapons to deal with this situation.

"We are the guardians of love and justice! I am Sailor Moon, and in the name of the moon, I will right wrongs!" It felt weird. They weren't evil, so she couldn't do the usual speech.

"And I am Sailor Earth!" yelled the second figure, as the dust settled. "I am the agent of love and friendship! In the name of Earth, I will…free them!"

The police were confused. Usually they trained for a prolonged assault on the station. This was only one of those two words.

Just then, Brass arrived, and quickly took stock of the situation. "Attention!" he bellowed. "This is Detective Jim Brass, Las Vegas PD! If you surrender now, we will take you in peacefully!"

Moon nodded to Earth. "Earthquake Strike!" In seconds, the floor of the station buckled, throwing officers everywhere. Brass was behind a wall, so he was saved from the brunt of the attack.

"You'll have to do better than that, ladies!" He turned the corner and fired off some shots.

They saw it. Two flashes of movement in their peripheral vision. In under a second, Tuxedo Mask and Nephrite had freed them, as well as the old drunk for his kindness.

"Thanks," he said. "I always thought heroes didn't have a heart for people in jail. I've never been happier to be wrong."

Nephrite nodded. "Don't worry. Just try to stay out of trouble, alright?"

The man nodded, and ran for the backdoor.

"Where's Apollo?" asked mask. Then, a hand shot out from one of the cells, grabbing for Mask's cane. A brief struggle occurred, but the cane was eventually dragged back by its rightful owner. "What are you thinking?"

The gang member responded by spitting at them. Thankfully, Nephrite was on-hand. "Do you know who I am, punk?"

The man shook his head. Fear was starting to show.

"I'm Maxwell Stanton. The 'drainer'."

At the mention of "drainer", the man scrambled to the back of his cell as fast as he could.

"Well," he said, wiping his hands, "We have to find Apollo. This way."

"Moon Beam Strike!" The attack flew past Brass, missing him by inches. He returned fire, but still didn't hit them. Thankfully, for him, some other officers had regained consciousness, and started fighting back as well. But then a new voice cried out.

"Jupiter Thunder Blast!" A bolt of lightning flew through the station, Brass and few others ducking just in time. Looking back, he saw a tall female figure in the doorway, standing in some sort of martial arts pose. To make matters worse, he heard footsteps coming from the hallway to the interrogation room, and saw the four original suspects, as well as two more, running for the door.

"Venus Crescent Beam!" the blast knocked Brass unconscious, and the sailor scouts left, after causing a few thousand in damage.

* * *

"So, I see the information was correct?" They had reverted back to normal, and were now walking through Vegas, planning what to do next.

"Yeah, it was lucky too." Lita giggled a little at how easy it was. Then she became quiet from the chorus of angry stares.

"Hey, Max," said Ami. "What happened back in the jail? That guy seemed really scared of you."

Maxwell stopped in his tracks, and sat down on a bench, where he told the whole story.

"Back when the Dark Kingdom was strong, I was their agent in North America. To do what I had to do, I needed connections in the underworld. Obviously, those connections are still around." He looked Molly dead in the eye. "But that time has passed. I promise, I would never do anything like that again."

Molly nodded. "I know, Nephrite."

Bob kept walking. "Hey," cried Darien. "What do you think you're doing?"

"What happened at the park was no accident." He hailed a cab. "If I'm right, we can get all the answers we need in the desert. Darien, you explain." Pulling out the cabby, Bob shoved a wad of cash in the driver's hand, and, loading everyone in, drove off, leaving a confused Sikh.

* * *

"Eastwing, have we had any contact with Area 51?" Young was pacing now. It had been two hours since D.C. had gotten any updates on the situation.

"Well, still no contact from Dreamland. Apollo and the girls have made quite an impression, though."

The president looked at the video and swore. This was exactly what he was afraid was going to happen.

"General," he said. "When you find Apollo, bring them straight here. No stops, no breaks. Get them in the capitol, so we can figure out what the hell is going on!"

Turning sharply, the general called in for a C-5 Galaxy. It was, after all, a long flight to Nevada.

* * *

Night was near. The moon was rising, adding to the smoky haze coming off the ruined base. Bob stared in shock as the once beautiful buildings and experimental planes burned like a funeral pyre.

"Bob," said Darien. "I'm sorry that this happened."

Bob didn't answer, but instead, started running down the slope to the base. The others hoped back in the cab to follow.

"OLY OLY OXEN FREE! OLY OLY OXEN FREE! OLY OLY GODDAMN OXEN FREE!" He ran screaming through the base, looking under every piece of rubble, every scrap of metal. But only a few guards were left alive. Instructor H was buried under a chunk of Aurora spy plane, and Bob knew he was dead. He started to cry.

The cab navigated the terrain surprisingly well, all things considered. Once the girls got there, they started making up some kind of care facility, Lita and the boys looking for both Bob and other survivors.

"Doctor J! Professor G!" He ran through the chambers, screaming at the top of his lungs. They had to be alive, he knew it! They wouldn't just lie down and give up! Would they?

He found his answer three stories below ground. Doctor J was on his back, glasses crushed. Professor G was barely clinging to life.

"G!" Bob rushed over to comfort the dying man. "Its alright now, sir. We can save you!"

"No," he hacked. "You can't." The man reached for a pile of rubble and found what he was looking for. "This…was for you…" he started hacking. "These plans…they're for…a person…like you…and Darien…" more hacking, getting worse and worse. "If you get these…to the capitol…you can still…use them…" More hacking.

Maxwell and Darien arrived in time to hear the old mans parting words. "They have the weapons Robert…They plan to sell them…to the highest bidder…Stop them…before its to…late…" With that last warning, the man known as Professor G slipped into the arms of death. Rising slowly, body in arms, Bob looked up at the two men with tear-streaked eyes.

"He said I was the only one that stayed human," he sobbed. "He said, I was better than them."

Once they had some time, they found that less than 25 of the original base crew survived. All the head scientists had been killed, and the weaponry stolen.

"Its Mondale," said Bob. He looked through the ruined labs with Maxwell and Darien. Everywhere files were missing, cases broken, and blood trailed. "He probably stole the weapons we already had. He's either going to sell them or use them. Either way, we are in trouble."

They found Frank still alive. He had managed to crawl back to base, bleeding from his leg wound. He told his side.

"They used your message Bob." He winced as Ami applied a tourniquet and some disinfectant. "They shot all the perimeter to hell. Went into the base. We couldn't get the weapons ready in time." He winced again as Ami tightened the gauze. "Easy, girl! Didn't you take first-aid?"

"She was the only one who passed," Serena mumbled.

By the time Eastwing showed up, Area 51 had been partially rebuilt. Enough debris had been cleared from the runway to make it useable again, and some of the guards were in better shape than thought, so that when the general arrived, he noticed little difference from his last visit.

"Robert Jones! Front and center!"

Bob came running to the transport. He saw the general and saluted.

"At ease."

They stared at each other, a tenseness building between them.

"I saw what you did to that police station. You could have waited for us to get you out."

"If I had waited, sir, this whole facility would be scrap."

Eastwing nodded. "Well, its Las Vegas. With all the casino money, they should be able to rebuild the station. And you managed to not kill anyone, so that's another gold star in your favor."

The girls, Darien and Maxwell started walking over. Then the general adopted a look of despair. "Well, now that that's out of the way, I have some bad news. You are all ordered to get on this plane and come with me to Washington D.C., for both protection and further investigation."

They all nodded, and, without further discussion, slowly walked onto the plane, single file, like prisoners in chains.

"Sir," said Bob, stopped at the top of the ramp. "What's going to happen to the base?"

"That's classified, son."

Conceding defeat, Bob walked on, and, as the plane flew away, other's arrived to pick up the survivors. Within minutes, explosives planted in the base, positioned in case any information was leaked to the outside, turned to once strange beauty into a smoking hole in the desert. The tabloids would have a field day for weeks to come.

* * *

"Excellent job, gentlemen!" Mondale was absolutely giddy. The freight train they were on was empty, except for the few hobo bodies. But they could be dumped easily once they were outside the city.

"Once we get to D.C.," said Mondale "We go to every safe house and steak them out. Once we've located them, we execute the third stage of the plan. Is that clear?"

"Crystal sir," said Wraith, patting the boxes of gear and information he'd gotten out of Area 51.

Unknown to all of them, another hobo was on the train. One who would screw the plan to hell.

* * *

Flying over the bright lights that signaled they were leaving Las Vegas, Eastwing looked at them all. The two couples were holding up well. "Probably because their together," he thought. The other girls were silent, looking down at the floor. Bob was sitting, eyes closed. But Eastwing knew he wasn't asleep. He'd seen that look before.

"This isn't an arrest." Finally breaking the silence, it made Eastwing sound that much louder. "We are simply placing you all in a safe area until this calms down."

"You could send them home," said Bob. "They have nothing to do with this. I'd rather die than have someone else's blood on my hands."

"That's not true!" yelled Serena, standing up, then losing her balance. Getting up again, she shot back. "You're our friend! You saved us in Tokyo! You need our help! Without us, you'd still be in jail!"

"She's right!" Molly also stood up, though she was smart enough to grab a railing. "We owe it to you! I don't think we'll ever be able to repay you!"

Darien threw his hat in too. "You destroyed Kunzite. You destroyed the bombs. You saved our butts too many times to count."

"You let me turn from my old life," said Maxwell. "You let me be with my love." He took Molly's hand and looked her in the eye.

The other four remained silent. They simply watched the action in front of themselves unfold.

Bob remained silent.

"Well, you'd all better get some sleep," said Eastwing, making himself as comfortable as possible. "You have a big day tomorrow. We meet with the president at 10."

* * *

"Hurry Artemis!" Luna was racing to the train, its slow pace quickly picking up, like a heart on a treadmill.

"I'm trying!" But before he had a chance to react, a hand scooped him up and dragged him into a boxcar.

"Artemis!" Luna didn't have a chance to react either, as the same hand took her in. Looking around frantically, she finally saw someone.

"I guess you're both their pets," it said, shifting its face into the light to reveal himself to be the drunk from the station.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5- Patriot Games

* * *

Patrick answered the door, and quickly slammed it shut. Outside was a face he'd hoped to never see again.

"Dammit, Paddy, I'm not here to cause trouble. I came here for your help."

Patrick remained silent. The damn SEAL was at his front door! Carefully, he pulled the pistol he still had from his pocket, and opened the door to find nothing there.

"What the hell?" Then a noise came from behind him, and he found himself unarmed.

"Carrying a weapon?" The SEAL in front of him grinned. "Doesn't that violate what the SAS told you?"

"I'm not using it against any English," he said, before delivering a vicious headbutt. He then launched a right hook at Specters head, but the SEAL dodged, and instead sent the RIRA man into his own closet.

Slamming the door, Specter finally started talking. "Jesus, Paddy," he said, rubbing his head. "I knew you guys could fight, but I didn't know you heads were really hard as rock."

"I'll bet you're Italian, right?"

"Damn straight." He turned the knob to give the slightest opening possible. "Now listen. The US government has a proposition for you. If you accept, all of your previous crimes will disappear."

Patrick spoke in a laugh. "You really expect me to believe that? I wasn't born yesterday, you wanker!"

"Latest US and Interpol legislation states that any terrorist who operates on foreign soil is subject to that countries laws. Be a bit of a problem if you were shipped off to Japan to stand trial for terrorism, wouldn't it."

Silence.

"What happens to William and James?"

"They'll also have the charges dropped. I have my men with them right now, and they agreed instantly." The conversation dropped off sharply. "They're willing to do this without you, but they really want their boss with them."

"Why? I'm no fool, yank. Why do you need my help?"

"Apollo is in danger. My team and I have been ordered to guard him and his friends as soon as we're stateside again."

Patrick became silent. "No," he thought. "That boy was actually good!"

"Well, do we have an answer?"

"Yank," said Patrick. "Just tell me where to go and what to shoot. Just don't stand in my way."

* * *

"So," said Young, pacing his office while Bob stood at attention. The president's face was a mask of suppressed rage. "Do you want to tell me why you planned a breakout from a Las Vegas jail?"

"We didn't sir."

Young's face became flustered. "That break was established to have been carried out by someone with extensive experience in such operation." Now he was pacing around Bob, like a wolf with a deer. "Does that sound like anyone in this room?"

"If you count me, then yes sir." Bob remained face forward, eyes straight.

Young sighed, then went back to his chair and sat down. "Bob, I can't get you out of this as easy as everything else. You destroyed a police station, you took an unauthorized civilian into Area 51, frankly, I can't believe I haven't deported you yet."

"Because," said Bob "I'm the only one you have who can stop Mondale, and you know it."

Young sighed, and got up, walking so he would look out the windows. "You're all confined to the city. There will be security details. I know you won't run. The details are for your own protection." There was a palpable silence. "You're dismissed."

Turning on his heal, Bob almost marched out of the Oval Office.

"Artemis," Mina was almost losing it over what she saw in front of her. The hotel room was toasted. Nothing survived the blast. The corpses found outside the room didn't even have enough teeth left for a dental record. They would be Doe's until missing persons was alerted.

"They have to be okay," said Serena, almost willing it to be true. But not even Bob's laptop had survived. It was just a solid hunk of plastic and metal.

"I'm sorry ladies." Eastwing had nothing to say. There was nothing to say. Those two cats had meant something special to the girls. The only time he'd lost a pet was while he was studying at the Academy. And it was an old dog. There was no comfort for this.

"Its okay," said Serena. She was still crying, but she was smiling weakly. "They didn't find any other bodies, so they must still be out there."

Eastwing only nodded. He didn't want to tell the two that the blast would incinerate a smaller skeleton.

* * *

"Well girls, we are stuck for the duration." Bob sat down next to Ray, exhausted. The safe house was a little cramped with all nine, but it worked. "I never should have brought you all here. It was doomed from the start." He looked around, and saw that someone was missing. "Hey, where's Ami?"

"She went to the Smithsonian," said Molly, clutching Maxwell closely.

"Max, did she say when she left?"

"Yeah, about an hour ago. Why?"

"Maybe I can catch her." Turning, he ran straight past his security detail on his way out. They nearly lost him too.

* * *

"So, what do you know about the people in the next car ahead of us?" Luna and Artemis were sharing the mice they caught with the man. He didn't care what he ate. As long as it was cooked right, it was food.

"They're military," he said, before coughing. It was loud and rough.

"Hey, could you keep it down?" Artemis hopped to the edge of the car to make sure no one heard it. "If they hear us, we might as well jump off the next bridge."

"Sorry." The man was coughing again, but much quietly this time. "Last time I went to a doctor, he said I had cancer. Smoking to much or something."

"So why do you do it?" Luna was starring in confusion at the lit cigarette hanging from the man's lips.

"Got nothing else," he said, checking the packet. "I was a lawyer, you know? Full practice, name on the door, the works." His eyes left the train, going back to a better time for the man. "I won every case. No one could beat me. I was toasted, I was honored, they even wanted me for D.A."

"I guess something happened."

"You're right, whitey. My daughter got cancer too." He looked like a man who had nothing now. Absolutely nothing. "They said it was malignant. Nothing could cure it. I didn't know what to do, so I decided to let my society bitch wife make the call. Know what she said?"

The two cats didn't answer.

"She said…'If you can't cure it, there's nothing we can do'. She let her die."

He turned his head to the open door. "After that, it all went downhill. She was my life, my baby. I started losing case after case. My wife finally left me for her lover, then dies when she takes the wrong freakin' pills." He produced a hip flask and drank from it. "I wouldn't take any help. To proud for my own good, you know? So, I decided to go on my own. And here I am, talking to two cats, who I'm still not sure are here, or from the booze."

The three sat in the car, silenced by what they had just heard. A chill wind ran through the car, making the cats shiver fiercely. Not speaking, the hobo scooped them up, and carefully sealed them in his trench coat.

"Oh! Thank you." Luna snuggled up to the man. He wasn't as clean as Serena, but he was acceptable.

"Hey, buddy," said Artemis. "Where is this train headed, anyway?"

"I think the capitol."

* * *

He found Ami in the front lobby, looking at the exhibit currently on display. Right now, it was an African elephant, along with its evolution.

"You shouldn't sneak off like that," he said, catching her off guard.

"Bob! What are you doing here?"

"What, afraid that I might call down a meteor?"

She blushed, but he laughed. "I wasn't serious, Ami." He looked at the statue. "You ever seen an elephant in the wild, Ami?"

She shook her head.

"Let me tell you, this doesn't measure up."

She looked at him now. "You've seen a real elephant?"

"Yeah. Once, I was sent to India, and the locals, they've tamed some of them."

"Well, I have heard elephants are really docile creatures." She had a tinge of sadness in her voice, and Bob noticed.

"Well, let me tell you, those things are smart too. Once, I was helping the villagers with some work, when a log came rolling right at me. No one was around, and I froze. Then, this long gray thing pulled me away just in time. I looked up a second later, and I saw my elephant had saved me."

They sat in silence, staring at the model in wonder.

"Hey," said Bob. "I have an idea. Come with me."

It was marvelous. Before Ami was the entire stretch of D.C. The top of the Washington Monument was still closed to tourists, but Bob was a government employee, after all.

"Wow. This is the seat of the free world, and I'm in it." She turned and hugged Bob. "Thank you for taking me here."

He smiled back. "After Vegas, it's the least I can do for you girls."

She looked up into his eyes, and before he could do anything, she kissed him on the cheek, almost exactly where Jupiter kissed him. Not missing a beat, he kissed her on the check too, and they ended up at the top of the monument, holding hands, until midnight.

"Major, permission to speak?"

"Granted."

"This officially blows." The pair was keeping an eye on Bob and Ami, coming down from the top of the spire. Hailing a cab, they drove back to the safe house, where they were all staying.

"Affirmative, lieutenant." Revving the motor on the plumbing van they were driving, the pair kept tabs on the cab all the way to the house.

* * *

The hobo was silent most of the day. Mostly, Luna and Artemis tried to piece together what had happened from the people in the next car, but they didn't hear anything of interest. They didn't talk much either.

"I don't think we'll know anything until we find the girls, Luna." Artemis was lying down on a patch of straw that was lying in the car.

"Maybe you're right Artemis. I just hope that they're safe. I've never been this far from Serena before." Right now, the pair was in Arizona, nearing the Four Corners region. They still had a long way to go.

The hobo had fallen asleep by noon, and a picture fell out of his pocket. Curious, Luna walked over to it, and was surprised at what she saw. In it, there was the hobo, before his life went downhill. Next to him was a man in a firefighters dress uniform, and between them, a small boy with blue eyes and blonde hair!

"That's my godson," said the hobo, softly, almost tearfully. His face showed a smile, but inside was a torrent of gloom. "That was on a Fourth of July parade. He was always a funny kid." He slowly went over to Luna. "I guess he's doing fine now. I told his parents to not say what happened to me. I was afraid he would come after me."

Luna looked at the man with a sense of pity. This was a man who had it all, appreciated it, but lost it all.

"I think he's about sixteen now. God I hope he's alright." The hobo was crying now, but not in a loud way, or with any noise. The tears just came silently down.

"I know he's doing fine." Luna would go no further, but she knew. That boy was Apollo, after all.

* * *

"We've done everything we could have with both the airport and Vegas, sir. It was the same group. We also found this at the scene. It's a hostage video."

Curious, Young nodded to Kelling, who put it in the player. On screen was Mondale, kneeling on the floor of the jet, bound by tape. He wore an expression of fear and disbelief.

"Mr. President, if you get this, we have already left Nevada. I am being held hostage by our 'Spirit' op-unit. They have renegade, and are currently taking me back to D.C. when you get this tape."

The president watched every move carefully, watching for the slightest tell. The captors' faces were covered, but Mondale was genuinely afraid. There was no doubt about that. "Maybe he really is a hostage…"

"They say that they want one thing; they want to contact Poltergeist. They used to work with him, they trained with him. They say that they are willing to use any means necessary to accomplish this goal." For a minute, it was quiet. Then Mondale started panicking. "Please, sir, you have to get me out of here! They don't just want Poltergeist, they want-" but he didn't finish. The man to Mondale's left struck him with the butt of his gun, clearly connecting with the back of his head. The video then cut off.

Young sat at his desk, stunned. "This has all been tested?"

"Yes sir. Voice print, actual recreations, its all real."

"No it isn't!" Eastwing was livid. "Sir, Mondale's been at the farm for God knows how long, who's to say he isn't pulling a fast one right now!"

"All the tests prove it wasn't faked."

"Bullshit, Kelling, you heard the interrogation! That spook gave us what we wanted on a silver platter!"

"Maybe that's just it. Maybe they want to give us that information." Kelling remained unmoved by the generals yelling.

Quickly, the general left the room, determined to get some more information.

"Well, that could have gone better." Kelling turned back to the president. "Don't worry sir. We have the safe house well guarded. No one is getting in or out."

"That's what I'm worried about."

* * *

The days dragged on endlessly. The girls and guys tried to keep themselves sane by touring the city, taking in the sights, and just working themselves. But soon, the routine syndrome set in. Eventually, the most exciting time of the day was going to the Pentagon for a situation briefing, but even that was getting dull. Things were at a breaking point.

"Serena!" Ray stormed down the steps. Each step shook under her wrath. She found Serena watching a DVD. "Where's my Sailor V comic!"

Serena fell out of her seat, and turned with as much palpable anger as Ray. "I didn't take it! Why do you always blame me!"

"Because, you always do things like this!"

"Well, I didn't this time!"

"Oh, yeah, that's really going to throw me off!" Their faces edged closer, each looking ready to tear the other apart.

"Hey, both of you keep quiet! I'm trying to make us some lunch here!" Lita come storming out of the kitchen, large knife in hand. It didn't matter to the other two.

"Stay out of this, Lita!" sreamed Ray.

"What did you say?" Lita raised the knife.

Outside, Ami and Molly watched in amazement.

"Wow. They're really going at it." Ami watched in amazement at the spectacle before her.

"I know how Ray feels. It is annoying when _someone _keeps stealing another persons blouses!" She shot a look at the sunbathing Mina.

"Hey!" She cried, lifting her shades and sitting up. "You shouldn't leave them lying all over!"

Fuming, Molly walked over and grabbed Mina's bottle of tanning oil. "Gee, Mina, you'd better put on some more of this! Wouldn't want that fat head of yours getting burned!" She then dumped the goop all over Mina's head, and in seconds, the backyard was as bad as the house.

"Girls! Stop this! We should be calm right now!" But when Ami tried to pull them apart, she ended up getting pulled in, and started letting out her frustration.

Inside, things were little better, as Lita was throwing knives at both Serena and Ray, who were both still yelling at each other.

"For the last time, I didn't take your comic book!"

"And I still don't believe you!" A knife landed on the face of the table Ray had leaned over for cover, and she decided to make a break for the backyard.

"Good luck Serena!" She didn't get far though, because she ran straight into the fight already in progress outside. Soon, all six girls were fighting each other in one big melee.

"Holy shit! They're really going at it!" The agents left their post and rushed for the house in order to break up the fight.

"So, how the hell do we pry them apart? Crowbar?"

"I don't know, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it!" Arriving at the other side of the street, they kicked in the door, and saw the house, the table, the knives and the fight going on outside.

"You first."

Quickly, dodging the still flying knives, he fired his pistol out into the yard. The fight stopped as if paused. Ray had Serena in a headlock, Molly had Mina by her hair, and Lita had her hands around Ami's neck.

After the six had been separated, and placed with an agent, the head of the op questioned each one individually.

"So, Ray?" The girl nodded. "What happened?"

"Serena stole my comic book that I hadn't finished." Then she got angry. "She's always stealing my stuff! My combs, my shoes, even my food!"

"You mean this comic book?" The head agent held up a Sailor V book.

Ray was speechless. "Where…where…?"

"One of the agents found it outside in the garden. We're you out there any time in the last few days?"

"Uh…well, now that you mention it…" she said, laughing nervously.

Then they heard a voice screaming, "Yes! I told her I didn't take it! I knew it! I knew it!"

The head agent ignored the outburst and kept going. "Look," he sighed, eyes at the ceiling. "I know you girls have a little cabin fever. But you have to understand, these guys don't care whether you are girls or those sailor scouts." He winked at the last part, to the confusion of the other agents. "But believe me, after we find them, you'll be free to go back home."

Standing, glad that this was the last interview, he walked out to his car, driving back to Quantico. It was a long day, and he just wanted to file the report and leave for home. He never saw the spikes in the road.

The front tires were completely lost. Trying desperately to regain control, he never saw the traffic light in front of him go from green to red, and he barreled right into the path of an 18-wheeler. He never had a prayer.

* * *

"General!" Eastwing turned to see Bob running for him from the training area set up so the men in the Pentagon could keep their skills sharp.

"What is it Robert?" The general was concerned, but honestly had bigger things to worry about.

"Sir, I know we've been over this, but when can the girls go back home?"

The general looked away and kept walking, repeating what he had said before. "As soon as we get this situation under control, we can send the girls and the boyfriends home." He walked into his office, ending the conversation there. "I'm sorry, but we have to remember that those girls aren't safe until we can arrest Mondale." Going in, the general slammed the door behind him, leaving Bob depressed and in disbelief.

Tuxedo Mask and Nephrite were currently training as well, sparing each other with cane and crystal. Each was giving his all, focusing on tuning themselves up for the inevitable fight ahead.

"Really, Nephrite, I thought you were better than that!" Mask ducked under the swing of the crystal, and struck back with a jab. Nephrite danced out of the way, and unleashed a furious barrage of kicks and swings.

Bob walked in the door, and the pair froze, afraid it was someone from the military. "Well," said Nephrite. "What did he say?"

"Same thing." He sighed, and sat down on a bench. "I really am sorry, guys. I wanted to take you all on a good time. Give you a few laughs, ya know?"

Both men reverted back, and sat down in front of him.

"Don't worry, Bob." Maxwell was trying his best to be nice, though he didn't have much experience. "We all have some rough times. Try dying."

Darien got up and started walking to the doors, the other two following. "Maybe this won't last as long as we thought. Just remember, we can't possibly have anything bad happen to us with all this security."

The moment Darien opened the door, the major and lieutenant came barreling in, knocking the three over.

"Thank God you're all still here!" The major helped up Darien. "We just got a report from the FBI, the safe house was attacked."

They all ran for the situation room, and found the general and Director Kelling talking, going over what had happened.

"It started when they placed some spikes in front of my op leader's car. He flew right into an intersection. Semi t-boned the poor guy. While the other agents rushed to help, some men in black moved in on the housed and neutralized the remaining agents. Thankfully, the girls transformed, so the enemy was beat. And' he said, sliding a morgue report across the table "They left a body."

The general spoke next. "We think they wanted to catch you, Robert. The girls were secondary." His face told the story. He was beyond just "angry". He was livid. "Mondales behind this. I can feel it."

"We've done the tests," said the director, tired of having to explain this over and over again. "That video wasn't faked."

"What video?" Bob was suddenly curious. There was something the higher ups weren't telling him.

"You three had better come with us."

* * *

"Only a few men got off." Luna, Artemis and the hobo stood in the boxcar, as the train slowly left the yard. "Did you find out where this train is going next, Artemis?"

"They said something about Philadelphia. Other than that, I don't know."

The hobo got up and grabbed the cats. "What do you think you're doing?" cried Luna.

"I'm not an idiot. This has to do with Bob." He slowly moved to the edge of the doorway. "I'll follow them. You track down the kids and make sure they know what's happening." He threw them off just as the train was picking up speed.

"Make sure you tell Bob that Uncle Whitey sent you!" With that, the train sped away, onto the city of brotherly love.

* * *

Patrick got off the plane at Annapolis, and followed Specter to a waiting car, where William and James were already waiting. The three nodded, and Jester sped them off, to their next great encounter.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6- Philadelphia Freedom

* * *

"Please, girls, just try. We need to know what happened."

They all were back in the safe house, which was under armed guard. All around it, FBI and police had formed a defensive position, armed to the teeth. They couldn't risk it. Not now.

They all thought back.

* * *

"What happened?" Lita ran away from the agent watching her and reached the window, seeing what had happened. "Someone's hurt!"

Rushing to her, the agent saw the car, then ran for the door. "Don't move! I'll be right back!" Most of the other agents in the house ran out too, leaving the girls, for the most part, unprotected.

Banshee smiled. This would be almost too easy. Six girls against him and his men. Nothing could have wiped the smile from his face. After all, a kill was a kill.

"I hope everyone is alright," said Ami, watching the action unfold outside. The agents were trying desperately to pry whoever was in the car that was hit by the truck.

"How did it happen?" Serena was vying for a spot, but they all were taken.

"It looks like there was some stuff in the road," said Lita. "Hey, those are spike strips!"

"What's a spike strip?" asked Molly.

"Its something police use to stop speeding cars-" but she stopped. She just realized that anyone who worked for the government could get one. "Hey, FBI!" she screamed to the three agents still in the house. "This is a trap!"

Before the three agents could respond, they were riddled with 9mm.

"Oh no," said Ray. Then, six figures in black swarmed in through the front door.

Banshee quickly took in the situation. Six of them, six Spirits. This could only end well for him.

Lita and Ray stepped in front of the other girls. "You guys get to safety!" cried Ray, grabbing a sutra out of her pocket. "We'll handle them."

"We don't have time for this ladies. Just tell us where Poltergeist is, and we'll kill you fast."

"Not much of a deal," said Lita.

Slowly, the other four girls tried to back their way onto the stairway. "You two," said Banshee, pointing to his SAW gunner and comm. man. "You two handle these two. We'll handle the others."

Lita squared off against the one with the large gun. He was big too. "Ha, ha, ha. This is a joke right?" He stared down at the girl. "I'm a black belt in five different martial arts. What makes you think you can take me?"

Lita didn't know.

"Put that piece of paper away, girl. Its not nice to litter." The comm. man circled the girl, curious to see what she could do.

"Phantom, you take blue hair. Ghoul, the straight blonde. Daemon, you take the brunette. I'll take the blonde with the freaky do."

"I do not have a weird hairdo!" Serena yelled, before barely missing a punch meant to knock her out.

"Serena!" Ami ducked just in time to miss a roundhouse kick sent at her.

Lita was barely keeping up with the furious blows that came from her opponent. The man was fast, but he was big. "If I can just get him off balance…" Then she saw it. Her chance. Thinking fast, she dove for the backyard, and the man followed. He was to big to notice the small rise between the yard and house, and in the moment he lost his balance, Lita turned out a vicious right hook to the mans jaw, then a kick to his stomach. As he fell back, trying to regain some momentum, she finished by jamming her shoes in his face. He was out.

"Come on, girly, I can't take all day! Just tell us where your boyfriend is, and we can leave." Ray decided not to listen, knowing Bob would want them to fight, and jammed the sutra on the man's right leg.

"What the hell?" he yelled. He stumbled for a minute, trying to get up. Ray was on him in an instant, slamming the sutra down on his forehead, taking him out as well. Four to go.

Ami swung the book at the man again. And again, she missed. He was just to fast.

"Keep trying, honey, I'm sure you'll connect soon!" He laughed, then swung the butt of his weapon at her. However, the next time she swung, the thick book connected with the rifle butt, and both bounced back. "You little…" the man rushed at her, but was shot. The other FBI agents had heard the fighting, and had rushed back.

"We don't have time for this! Fall back!" Jumping out the window, Banshee, Phantom and Daemon leaped out a window. Ghoul was shot, but still kept running. That left the other two, who were quickly handcuffed and incarcerated.

* * *

"So, that's what happened?" The girls nodded at Darien. Maxwell had stood up and walked away. The girls were each sad and depressed, Mina most of all.

"If I can't show Bob I love him, I might as well just give up."

After most of them had gone to bed, Molly decided to look for Maxwell. Bob and Darien were discussing what to do next, while Ray apologized to Serena.

Maxwell was out in the yard, staring at the sky. "I shouldn't have gone," he thought. "I left Molly and the girls alone, and they were attacked." He heard a noise behind him, and saw Molly there. "You should go to bed, Molly. You've had a rough day."

"I can't Max." She inched closer. "I…I was so afraid when those men attacked us. All I could think of was how I wanted you there to protect me." She hugged him. No matter how many times she did it, she wanted to him to remember that she loved him.

"I'm sorry Molly. I couldn't protect you. I wasn't there for you." He put his chin on her head. "I wish I wasn't so caught up so that I could be with you." He became serious. "I swear, I will never let anything bad happen to you again."

Molly pulled away. "You can't be serious!" Maxwell recoiled. "Bad things happen! You can't stop them! No one can! The more you try to prevent them, the more they happen!" She started crying. "I learned that when I lost you." Without another word, she ran to her room and shut the door, leaving Maxwell confused and depressed.

"Our next move should be to find out where they're going." Darien stared at the bullet holes in the side of the wall.

"That won't be easy. I just spoke with the new agent in charge. He says the prisoners had a slow acting suicide pill hidden in their mouths. One swallow, and they were dead." Bob looked over the map of D.C. he found. They could be anywhere. Washington was a town full of secrets, after all. It wouldn't exactly be reported if a group of men in black passed by a senator's window. That would only add fuel to the distrust against the government.

"Maybe we should-" but Darien didn't finish. He couldn't think of anything to say.

"They should have contacted us by now." Mondale was in the dining car of an Amtrak to Philadelphia. All of his men were. After all, robbing a Salvation Army store wasn't that hard.

"They must have run into some trouble. You know as well as I do, director, that anything could go wrong on a mission. Maybe not as many FBI left the house as we planned." Wraith sipped at his coffee. It was bitter, just as he liked it.

"Still, we had an agreed time if something went wrong, and even that's gone by." Mondale looked out the window, unaware that someone else was listening.

Whitey still had some lawyer friends. After dropping in on one of them who was a congressman, he bought the clothes and a ticket, then followed the men onto the train. This had something to do with Bob, and he intended to fine out what. A sudden wave of coughing hit, but it soon passed.

"Hey," said the one with the coffee. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," said Whitey. "Just a little cold." Turning back to his food, he pretended to read a book he had, while listening very carefully. It wasn't a very good book anyway.

* * *

"You two had better get out of here. Everyone's so nervous, you might get shot." The FBI SWAT team member looked at the two cats, then looked back at the house. He was under strict orders to watch the house, or it was his job.

Artemis nodded to Luna, who hung back while he nudged the sharpshooter's leg.

"Now, come on. That's not even fair." The man turned back, intensely focused on watching the house and surrounding area. But Artemis wouldn't stop.

"Okay, come here." He picked up the white cat, and started petting and scratching him. "You know, I had a cat like you when I was a kid."

Artemis meowed for good measure, while Luna bypassed them both, and made a beeline for the house.

Darien saw a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye. It was quick but he knew he saw it. He edged closer to the glass door, then fell to the floor when he saw a pair of glowing eyes. Only after he pulled himself together did he realize it was Luna.

"Luna? How did you get here?" He opened the door a little to let her in. It looked like she hadn't eaten well in days, and smelled like sweat and smoke.

"It doesn't matter how. What's important is how we are all holding up." She saw the bullet holes. " What happened?"

"We were attacked. The girls managed hold them off until the FBI showed up." He looked as hurt as Maxwell about the fact that he couldn't protect Serena.

"Are they alright?"

"Yeah, they're alright."

Just then, Bob walked in and saw Luna. "Hey, Luna! How'd you-"

"Bob, do you know anyone named Whitey?"

This struck a chord with Bob. "Yeah, he's the guy who gave me this knife. Why?" He suddenly looked very concerned.

"Well, he's the man who got Artemis and I here."

"What?! Where is he? Can I see him, where-"

"He's not here, Bob. He's following Mondale and the others on a train to Philadelphia. He knows this is about you."

A car pulled up out front, and the major got out. "Apollo? The general needs you."

Nodding, he turned to Luna. "Don't worry, you can talk in front of the major, as well as the general. They know what's going on. Come with me. Maybe you and Artemis can help us make a plan."

Luna nodded. "Alright. Lead the way, major."

"That…cat…just…"

"Yes, we know," said Bob, holding his head.

"Hey, what's with this crescent bald spot?" The FBI man gently touched it, and pulled back. It was cold!

Just then, another meow came from the ground. The cat leapt out of his arms and flew onto the awning below.

"Thanks for the petting! I haven't had any for days!" The cat then leapt into the car waiting nearby, which then sped away.

"It…talked…?"

* * *

The first thing Bob saw was the former leadership of the RIRA. The second was SEAL team Alpha. The last was general Eastwing. "Well," he said. "This must have an interesting story behind it."

"It does. Robert, meet Patrick Reilly. The former head of the RIRA. His second in command, William, and their third man, James." The general seemed to overemphasize "former".

Bob nodded in acknowledgement. But the mood in the room was one of barely contained anger. SEAL teams and terrorists traditionally don't get along well.

"So, what's the plan to stop these men?"

They all stared at Luna, shocked.

"Oh, yeah. Everyone, these two cats can talk, which is exactly why I brought them with me. They have above average human intelligence, are capable of forming complex plans, and have fought with the Sailor Scouts for the past few years now." He purposely omitted the fact that he was their general, as the SEALs and RIRA would see him as a nut.

"Robert, you said you've served with these men. Can you tell us what you know?"

Bob sat down, then started telling the long, strange history of the black-op "Spirit" unit.

"Back in the 1970's, the CIA formed a black-op unit consisting of highly trained assassins and killers either handpicked from the military, or from death row. They were trained in Area 51, and, until recently, under the direct control of the CIA. As far as equipment went, they were on par with the US military, and were sent on missions that required the most absolute secrecy. The president and a select few in the DoD and Congress knew about it."

"Missions typically consisted of assassinations, though sometimes a larger message was needed. Bombings, Public killings, and so on. During a wartime setting, the unit's primary mission was to infiltrate behind enemy lines in groups of three or four and cause as much discord as possible."

"I was the last member to be inducted into the unit before the attack on Tokyo, and as such, I have very little in the way of considerations on the personalities of the unit. I will say this, though. Every man in that unit is a killer, and they accept it. They will gladly kill anyone in their way, to the point of attacking innocent civilians. I repeat, some of the members were recruited straight from death row."

He sat down, and let the full implication that these were killers who were happy to do their job, before speaking again.

"They also have advanced weapons and technology from Area 51, and I doubt they will hesitate to use it."

"You're joking, right?" laughed William. "There's no such thing as bloody 'Area 51'…is there?"

Eastwing nodded. "Since you're all sworn to secrecy, I can tell you. Area 51 had no flying saucers, but it was a test bed for some of our most advanced weapons. The training program was a secondary function."

Artemis spoke next. "When we were thrown off the train in Washington, they mentioned something about Philadelphia. Is that significant?"

Bob looked stunned. It was like someone had kneed him in the gut and decided to kick him in the balls while he was down.

"Maybe there's another testing area in Philly?" asked Jester.

"Negative," replied the general. "There's only the Navy yard. Aside from that, Philadelphia isn't of that great an importance to us."

"Excuse me, general?" Bob finally spoke, but it was very distant. "I need to talk with the two cats in private for a minute."

Nodding yes, Bob left the room with Luna and Artemis in tow.

Once he was sure no one was around, Bob got straight to business. "Listen to me, both of you. I have to get to Philadelphia ASAP, or something bad will happen. You tell the girls _nothing_! They have enough to worry about as it is. They don't need to worry about me! And, to make sure," he said, as he threw them into a trashcan. "I'm sorry, but I can't have them worry about me." Running down the hallway, he changed into Apollo, and within minutes was a stowaway on a C-130 flying to Willow Grove Naval Air Base.

* * *

"Molly, are you awake?" Maxwell tried as quietly as he could to walk up the stairs, to apologize for what had happened.

"No," she replied sarcastically. "I'm just sleep talking."

He chuckled. "You really do know how to hurt a man, you know?"

"What!" She bolted upright at that. "I know how to hurt someone? Who here is the sailor scout, mister!"

Maxwell tried again. "I just wanted to apologize. I'm still getting the hang of emotions. Remember, I'm kind of new at being human."

Molly remained angry for a minute, then smiled slightly. "I know. I guess I'll just have to be patient with you."

"Thanks, Molly." He got up and went out the door. "I think we'd all better get some sleep. I feel like we have something big coming up ahead."

* * *

"Sir, I think we're being followed."

Mondale didn't show any outward emotion. "Who?"

"The man with the cough. The one who sounds like he's lost half a lung?"

Mondale glanced over his shoulder at the man, who was now quietly sleeping three seats behind in the opposite row.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because, on the way up here, I thought I heard that same cough."

"NSA?"

"No. I don't think he's FBI either. He's too old."

"Maybe that's they're plan." Mondale smirked slightly.

Wraith wasn't as amused. "Should we look out for him?"

"No," said Mondale. "If he is a tail, he won't last very long where we're going."

* * *

They spent hours combing the Pentagon and D.C. They checked the airports, the docks, the train yards, and even the bus stations. It was almost like Bob had vanished.

"Sir," said the lieutenant. "What happens if we can't find that guy?"

"Then the general gives us an earful."

A loud meowing and yelling came from the trashcan they had just passed.

"What the hell was that?"

"Beats me, sir, but I'm seeing what it is." Opening the lid, he saw the two cats from earlier. "What the hell are you two doing in here? No one here likes tuna anyway!"

"That's not why we're in here, you twit!" Luna tried to climb up to slap the man, but the bag was too slippery.

"Need some help?" asked the major.

"Thought you'd never ask." Artemis lifted a paw, and soon found himself on solid, stench-free ground.

"What happened?"

"It was Apollo, major. He's gone rampant! He stuffed us in the trashcan and took off!"

Artemis took over. "I think it has something to do with Philadelphia. Does that mean anything to anyone?"

"Its where the boy's family lived." The four turned to see Young walking toward them, polishing his glasses. "At ease, gentlemen."

"The president!" Luna didn't know what to do. Thankfully, Artemis did it for her.

"Sir, we have to start looking for Apollo now. Otherwise, it will be to late."

The president didn't even bat an eye because of a talking cat. "Agreed. General," he turned to Eastwing. "Set up a patrol around every military installation around the greater Philadelphia area. Kelling," he turned to the FBI man. "Have your people and local authorities carpet every inch of the streets. If we don't find Apollo, the enemy will."

Both men nodded, and ran off to their respective duties.

"And you two," he said, pointing to Luna and Artemis. "You should come with me."

* * *

It was 4:12 AM when the limo pulled up. By then, the whole house was asleep. Only by letting Luna and Artemis in through a window could they get everyone awake.

"Luna!" Serena's scream was more than enough to wake the house, but Mina yelling Artemis' name was a nice failsafe. Soon, the whole crew was downstairs in their pajamas, listening to the most powerful man in the world.

"He did what?!" Darien literally almost hit the roof when he heard this. Everyone else was too dumbfounded to react.

"He never found out that his family had moved." The president was sipping at the instant coffee that all safe houses seemed to have. It wasn't as good as the White House coffee, but it did the job. "Mondale kept all the information about his family from him- the _important _information, because he didn't want his star agent getting distracted on a mission.

"But why is he going through all this? What has Bob ever done that deserves this?"

"Good question, Ami." The president signaled an aide behind him to hand over a mission dossier. "A year ago, Bob was ordered to kill a reporter in Iraq that disagreed with the policies of the Iraqi government."

"Why would you order that? That's just dirty!"

"I didn't order it, Lita. When I found out, I was just as furious as you. Thankfully, Bob was the only Spirit who remained human."

"He kept saying that at Area 51," said Darien. "What do you mean when you say that?"

"When the program was already into its first decade, the people in it resigned themselves as nothing but killing machines. It got to the point where the missions were so bloody, and body counts so high, that Congress considered pulling the plug."

"Then what happened?" Mina leaned in, intent on finding out more.

"Bob happened. He refused, in the middle of the mission, to kill said journalist. Later, the man wrote a very flattering letter praising the US, and giving up information on his terrorist cousin."

"I guess Mondale wasn't to happy."

"No, he wasn't Max. Mondale was the type of man who was to be obeyed, or you'd get thrown under a bus he was driving. That's what happened here. He was sent to Tokyo to monitor the strange activities going on, but obviously, got caught up in this." He motioned to the girls themselves.

"So what should we do now?" Ray was rearing to go, not just to help, but prove she was Bob's perfect girl.

"You will all team up with some old friends of yours. Your flight for Philadelphia leaves in two hours. Pack light."

When the president left, Serena asked the obvious question. "What old friends?"

* * *

Apollo ran through the dawn streets of Philly. He carefully avoided the police stations and major intersections. Slowly, he made his way to his old house on Yerkes Street. What he saw nearly made him faint.

There was no longer a GMC truck in the driveway, or a Chevy van, but instead, a piece of crap Ford from the 70's. There was no American and Irish flag flying from the flagpole. Instead, a Confederate one.

"Who's out there?"

It was Mr. Johanson. Quickly, Apollo dove for the bushes as his old neighbor called out again.

"Its me, Mr. Johanson. Its Robert." Apollo was beyond sad. It felt like he was crushed.

"Robert? What are you doing here, boy? Didn't you're family call you to tell you they moved?"

"No, sir. Where did they move?" His voice was wavering.

"They said out to Arizona somewhere. Your dad's engine company was shut down. City said it wasn't effective at all." The old man also seemed emotional, but more angrily than anything.

"Who…who moved in, sir?"

"Some white supremacist freak. He threatened me, Robert. He said to leave." Now the old mans voice started to fail. "He said if I didn't move by next week, he'd kill my family."

Apollo couldn't bear it anymore. "Don't worry, Mr. Johanson, I'll take care of this." Without another word, Apollo slipped in through the back window, and into the rednecks bedroom.

"Who's there?" The voice had a heavy southern drawl.

"Your worst nightmare." Before he could get anything else out, Apollo dodged a shot from a .357.

Quickly, Apollo moved from the window to the bed, one hand over the mans mouth, the other disarming him. "Now listen Bubba," he said, barely containing his rage. "That man next door is a very old and dear friend of my families. If I find that you have done _anything_ to harm him-"

"What?! You're getting all bent up for some damn n-" But the word was cut off when Apollo twisted the mans arm.

"I'll say it differently then. Leave the neighborhood, or they'll find you with your own gun in your mouth, and a suicide note in your handwriting. Comprende?"

The man nodded, fear prevalent, and Apollo went back out the window. By the end of the week, the Confederate flag was gone back south.

* * *

"So, here we find ourselves again, eh, lads and lasses?" At least one of them was in a good mood, as James tried to lighten the atmosphere in the Black Hawk.

Everyone wore an expression of indifference. Venus wore one of despair.

"Keep quiet, you idiot," said Iceman. "We have more important things to worry about."

"Sorry," he mumbled, as he leaned back and closed his eyes.

The RIRA men didn't have a set uniform, so for the time being they were wearing black uniforms normally worn by urban SWAT teams. The regular humans were armed with H&K UMPs. The others were transformed.

"So Mondale tricked Apollo into going to Philadelphia, because he knew that Apollo would run to his families rescue, but his family wasn't there, so it's a trap, right?" asked Serena.

"Yes, your long winded rant is dead on," said Jester. "As far as we can figure, Mondale and his men are in the city now, combing it for Apollo. We have to reach him before they do."

Ghoul, the teams op-man, picked it up from there. "Local police and the FBI are carpeting the news and the papers with pictures, saying he's missing. A runaway. So far, they've gotten some credible tips, but nothing else."

"What happens if the enemy shows themselves before we find him?" inquired Maxwell.

"The local police have been told that there are terrorists on the loose, and the locals have been given the watered down version. If they do show themselves, we let the locals handle it. Our mission is to find Apollo, nothing more." Finishing, Ghoul started checking his weapon.

"This is the pilot," said the voice over the intercom. "We are five minutes out from Willow Grove Naval Air Base."

After landing, they all got the situation. All the freight trains had been inspected thoroughly since the announcement went out. All news programs and papers ran the story about the "missing" boy, and police patrolled every street, looking for a skinny white sixteen year old.

* * *

Whitey tried to be low profile. He waited at restaurants for a minute or two until the men left until he started following them. He rented a hotel room across the street instead of the same hotel. He contacted old friends, claiming he was back on his feet. They gave him as much as they decided he deserved. There was enough to set up a small fortune.

"Its official sir. He's a tail." Wraith looked in his rearview mirror at the cab behind them, which contained the same man from the train.

"So, do you want to make an example out of your newest hostage?"

Wraith smiled, then picked up his Tracphone, but it rang before he could dial. Surprised, he answered.

"Sir, this is Banshee." The voice on the other end sounded exhausted, desperate, and near collapse.

"Banshee, where are you?"

Banshee looked around the highway carefully, but could not find any authorities, decided to step out of the bushes a little. "I think we're outside of Baltimore. Christ, sir it all went to hell."

"Calm down, Banshee. Just find a way to get to Northern Maine, and then look for a way to get to Portland Maine. Clear?"

The other voice replied "Crystal", then cut the connection.

"Permission to have a little fun, sir?" said Wraith, glancing back at the following cab.

"Granted."

They spread out through the city, tailing with FBI agents in unmarked vehicles. Sailors Moon, Venus, Earth and Mercury took Center City. Jupiter, Mars, Mask and Nephrite took the Northeast. The SEALs took the West side of the city, and the RIRA men took the waterfront and surrounding area. But they wouldn't find him until it came crashing down.

Wraith had sent out the text. Within a half hour, almost all the Spirits spread across the city would converge in front of city hall.

Whitey saw the men exit the vehicle, the taller man wearing a ski mask. Without saying anything, he produced a gun and pulled the other man from the car they were both in.

"Oh, shit." Without another word, the cabby ran, and Whitey found himself confronted by a .44 magnum.

"Get out now." The man didn't look like he would ask twice, so Whitey followed him and the other hostage to City Hall. Without even sweating, the man with the gun killed one of the policemen there, just as another man in a mask came riding in on a motorcycle, spraying his machine gun at a police officer, along with at least five other people. The man on the bike seemed like he could care less.

"This is insane…" said Whitey.

"You don't know the half of it," said the other hostage, as they were led from their cars into the courtyard. The police were to late, and by the time everyone had been evacuated, the Spirits had taken over city hall.

* * *

"Where is he?" Venus thought, as she scanned the monitors all over the side of the van. Just then one of the agents shoved her and Mercury aside to change one of them.

"Sorry, ladies, but something came up." Switching it to channel 4, the local news reporter was in the studio, and it looked like he was put there in a hurry.

"This is Dave Roberts live in at the Action News desk, with this breaking news. At about 10:30 this morning, an armed group walked right into City Hall, shooting at least three police officers and numerous civilians. The mayor has been evacuated, but at last report, there are at least two hostages, one," he said in mock surprise "believed to be the head of the CIA. Chopper 6 is live on the scene, and we go live to Evan Trect, Evan, can you hear me?"

The scene went from the news desk to City Hall, where there were only a few police cars and officers. A voice started talking over the scene.

"Yes, Dave, I can hear you, and the scene here is one of confusion and fear. Right now, we have no information on who is being held hostage, who these men are, or what their demands are, but, and this is a personal assumption, but I think these are the same men who attacked the airport in Missouri and the park in Las Vegas."

"Evan, can you confirm that?"

"As I said, Dave, that was a personal assumption, but I think a pretty safe one."

Wraith looked up at the helicopter and laughed on the inside. He decided to show their buyers the strength of their new toys.

"Wait," said the voice. "I see one of them- he's in a business suit! And, I don't know what he's carrying, but it seem to be some sort of weapon, and- Jesus, he's pointing it at us! Get us out of here!"

The man below the chopper pointed the strange looking weapon at the helicopter, then looked like he pressed something. But before they could find out what, the screen went to static.

Unknown to the FBI teams, what Wraith had done was send a fire-and-forget seeker missile, intended to replace the aging Stinger. The warhead, not only tracked a target, it impacted where the pilots signature was, producing a confirmed kill every time.

"We have to go to City Hall," said Mask to his FBI escorts.

"Negative," said the team leader. "Unless we find Poltergeist, we stay here and wait for more orders."

Nephrite didn't wait for words. Without speaking, he grabbed the three other superheroes in the van, and, knowing what he was doing, they followed him to Center City. The other teams quickly followed suit.

* * *

Apollo scanned around, looking everywhere. But when he picked up the story of what was happening at City Hall, he broke cover and ran for a motorcycle that was nearby. Without a word, he took off.

"Are we ready, Wraith?" Mondale was in his best pose, playing the role of scared hostage. The man that followed them made a great part of being stoic in a bad situation.

"Roger, sir. We are ready." He pressed the signal button, and soon, the face of Mondale was plastered over every TV in Philly.

"He's coming on now, sir." The general was once more in the office with Kelling and the president, watching the situation in the nations former capitol unfold.

"This is the head of the CIA, William Mondlae," said the pitiful excuse that was before the general. Kelling saw a hostage. The president didn't know what he saw. "I am inside the city hall with at least two dozen armed men. They want one thing; their former companion, Poltergeist. If he does not arrive in two hours, and present himself to their leader, they will shot this hostage, and whoever is left in the building, one every half hour."

The man said nothing. He didn't have to.

Turning off the TV, the general turned to Kelling. "Now are you convinced? That man wasn't a hostage. If he was, there wouldn't be any _message_. They would just have killed him! They obviously aren't afraid of doing it!"

"Come off your high horse, dammit." Kelling was clearly tired of the generals theory. "I am going to tell my team in Philadelphia to prepare for a hostage rescue. Even if Mondale is in with the enemy, that man isn't." Without further discussion, Kelling walked out.

Both men simply stared, and the general walked out as well. Young held his head in his hands. He had to do something fast, or he would lose all control.

They all arrived at the same time from the different parts of the city.

"Mercury," said Specter. "Scan the building for heat signatures. Pick out any room with more than three."

Mercury did so, and soon, plan was being formed that was going to take down the enemy once and for all. No one planned for Apollo.

"Alright. We know that there are at least two dozen." Specter was going over the plan one last time. Lord knows Moon needed it. "Scouts, you will go in from the back, here, and sweep through the building. Stay together. Nephrite, Mask, you both take the roof. Work your way down and meet up with the girls. We," meaning the SEAL team and RIRA men "Will take the front, providing a distraction. If any of you find Mondale, try to take him alive. Once done, we meet back here. Understood?"

They nodded. "Alright, lets move!"

Revenant saw it. The seven men were sprinting from cover to cover, wearing black uniforms and carrying MP5s. He shifted his newest weapon towards them. This was going to be fun.

James saw movement in the window. Motioning, he knew that Patrick saw it too. He then passed it down to Specter. They all spread out.

Revenant was disappointed. The weapon didn't work well against spread out targets. Now sad, he instead aimed for the police barricades.

A bright light erupted from the second floor window, and a second later, the police barricade behind them was a mass of flame and death. Screams were everywhere. Cars were either melted or thrown around like a kids toys. "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph…" said James.

* * *

"Jupiter Supreme Thunder!" The man was too quick, and dodged out of the way just as the attack hit where he once was. "Dammit! Missed again!" Jupiter then dove for cover when he popped back out, with two of his friends, guns blazing.

"Any ideas?" asked Mars. They were just within reach of the courtyard, bodies everywhere.

"Mercury Bubble Blast!" In seconds, the courtyard was filled with a fog.

"Great job, Mercury!" Venus led the way, unaware she was being watched. The Scouts didn't know the enemy had infra-red goggles. When the bullets started flying, they panicked, then ran back to where they started. "Any other ideas, Mars!" bellowed Jupiter.

The police heard it, but before they could do anything, the motorcycle came screaming through the line, the driver carrying a shotgun of some kind. Without any words or emotion, the driver jumped from the bike just as it hit ramp made from a melted cruiser. It sailed towards the window where the light had come from.

"Shit!" Revenant left the plasma cannon and ran. The bike sailed through the window, destroying the delicate workings of the cannon, taking out one more piece of Dreamland technology.

"Apollo!" No one, especially Specter, was surprised at this. But the boy didn't answer back. Without even a word, he charged straight into the courtyard.

They heard it. Gunfire, and the sounds of dropping bodies. They didn't know who it was, but the fog was lifting by then.

"Get ready," said Mars. They all hid, ready to make the person pay for attacking them. But, as in Tokyo, they were given an unexpected surprise.

"Apollo!" Venus rushed over, embracing him. But he was all business now. "Apollo, are you…alright?"

"Yes, Sailor Venus, I am." He had a cold air around him. His face showed no emotion. "Follow me, I know where they broadcasted that message from."

* * *

Mask and Nephrite closed in on their prey, but before they could get to him, an ear shattering noise erupted from all around.

"What…is…that?" screamed Mask, as he fell to his knees. It was like his head was going to burst.

"Sonic weapons system," said the man they were chasing. "Designed to take an enemy out of the fight by non-lethal means. But, leave it on long enough, and it will rupture your eardrums, and possibly cause a hemorrhage." The man smirked. "We just want to test it out." With that, he walked down to the second floor, leaving Mask and Nephrite to a grisly fate.

"He won't fall for it, you know." When the man finally spoke, it almost made Mondale jump. But he quickly regained his composure.

"Who won't fall for it?" he asked.

"Robert," said the man. "I know he's the one you're looking for. I know about what's been happening. Friends in Washington, after all. He knows you aren't a hostage. He knows you aren't being held captive. He'll find you and kill you."

Wraith walked over and drew his gun, but before he could do anything, the doors to the pressroom burst open, and the Sailor Scouts and Apollo burst through. Wraith turned for a minute, but still shot Whitey, but not in the head. In the stomach. A much more painful death.

"So long Poltergeist." Without another word, he and Mondale ran out into the courtyard. Unknown to everyone, including the media, one of the Spirits had commandeered a helicopter, and was now picking up all the Spirits for a little rendezvous with their newest client.

"Uncle Whitey!" Apollo rushed over, the girls close behind. "Its okay now, its okay," He tried desperately to stop the bleeding, but it was no use.

"I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye, Bob." The man was weak now, blood coming from his lips. It was all over now.

Apollo was crying. "I thought I wasn't ever going to see you again." He pulled out the knife. "This saved my life, you know that?"

"Yeah," said Whitey. "I know." He was coughing now, that same hacking cough. "I wish I had more time."

Quietly, Venus whispered into Mars' ear. "Isn't that the drunk from the station?"

Mars nodded. "That's him for sure."

"Bob," said Whitey, voice fading away with his life. "Bury me near my daughter, okay?"

"Sure thing." Bob was crying heavily now, his tears mixing with Whitey's blood.

It was quiet, but after a few seconds, Whitey spoke his last words. "I wish…I could've done more."

Uncle Whitey died at 12:47, on May 3, 2012.


	8. Chapter 7

* * *

Chapter 7- The Waiting Game

* * *

After the funeral service a week later for all the ones who died, Bob took everyone aside to explain the situation.

"We know Mondale isn't a hostage. That's confirmed. We also know that they have some of the weapons from Area 51. Finally, they are off the radar, so we don't know where they'll surface next. So, I talked to the president, who gave me the usual talk, and we are now hold up in Philly." Slowly, a smile snaked its way across his face. "This is my city, people. Now, we can have fun."

It slowly dawned on all of them. This was his way of getting over loss. By doing things they would enjoy.

Mina screamed with joy, then raced out of the crowd and grabbed Bob by the hand, pulling him along with her to an intersection nearby. "So!" she said, as Bob panted, trying desperately to catch his breath. "What should we do first?"

"First," he said, "We get changed and catch our breaths. Second, I show you Philly."

It was amazing. He took Mina to Pat's Steaks, then Gino's. She couldn't decide which was the real king. Next, they went to Dave & Busters, enjoying the food and the games. He took her aboard the USS New Jersey, showing her the ins and outs when there was no tour guide around. Finally, they found themselves on the Schuylkill River at sunset.

"That was an amazing day, Bob." Mina finally had her chance. Now she could show Bob she loved him.

"Well, Philly has a charm all its own." He looked over the waterfront, then at her.

"Thanks for showing me, Bob." She leaned over and rested her head on his right shoulder. He saw that the light made her look like a painting of an angel.

"Least I can do."

She looked up at him, then kissed him, again, near where the other two had. He then looked at her, then kissed her. But for the third time, not on the lips. "The one I kiss on the lips," he decided "That's the one I'll choose."

They finally got back to the safe house, and again, the girls dragged her away to question her. It would have been shorter too, if Ami hadn't revealed where she and Bob had went and done. And again, Bob, along with Darien and Max, swore they heard animal noises coming from the girls part of the house.

"So," said Max, ignoring the strange noises. "What's our next move?"

Bob looked out the window. He didn't want to answer, so Artemis picked it up for him.

"The president said that we should wait for Mondale to show himself before we do anything. If he's as desperate as we think he is, it should be easy."

Darien got up to fix some coffee. He looked at Bob. He knew that, though he was well on the road to recovery, the scar of losing someone that close to him would never heal.

* * *

"How long until we get to Maine?" Banshee looked hard at the map, making sure every detail was correct.

"About a day, maybe two."

They were on a stolen yacht from Annapolis. Right now, they were passing New Jersey.

"How's the wound?" he asked Ghoul, who was lying on a pair of chairs.

"How do you think?" They both looked at the wound. The shot had torn a long gash along the back of the calf. It wouldn't heal right without a real doctor, and they all knew it.

"Don't worry," said Banshee. "When this is all over, we'll be able to buy you a dozen legs."

* * *

Eastwing went over everything. Every piece of paper that wasn't sent to the incinerator was sliced, diced and sautéed until every possible piece of information was eaten off of it. Then the major walked in, a smile on his face.

"This had better be good news." The general had been up for hours.

"Oh, it is good, sir." The major motioned for the lieutenant to hand him a folder. "Back in 99, out friend was in contact with a few chinamen." Eastwing went over the surveillance photos. "At first, we decided it was nothing, but now, it means everything." The general briefly looked up, then back to a picture of both Wraith and Mondale meeting with a Chinaman.

"What are you getting at, major?"

"Sir, we believe that Mondale is planning to sell both his men and the Area 51 tech. to the Chinese!"

Eastwing didn't even move. "How do you know? And where will this supposed sale happen?"

"Maine, sir." The lieutenant was nervous about speaking, but it was too late to stop now.

The general was silent. "Maine? You mean that the Chinese are going to meet our current public enemy number one…in Maine?" A nod. "Since when does Stephen King dictate our battle plans?"

"Well, he hasn't published a book in a while, sir." Both officers sat down, across from the general. He was a calm man, but could have a wicked temper when provoked.

"Sarcasm aside," said the general "What proof do we have? When, where?"

"Well, we found a reference to 'It' in the file." Taking out the specific page, he read it verbatim. "Derry, a haunt. Every twenty-seven years it appears to hunt." The lieutenant put the page back. "It was twenty-seven years ago in a week. We think that he arranged this meeting with the Chinese should anything happen."

The general remained silent. "Keep the team in Philadelphia until we can straighten this out. Until then, keep them out of the way.

And so it would go, for a week, until the call to action rang out loud and clear.

* * *

"So, we're shipping out again?" Maxwell leaned against the doorway to Bob's room, all dressed out in cameo for the final fight against the Spirits.

"Yeah," Bob was not in cameo. When he transformed into Apollo, he was automatically equipped with the most advanced tech available. "We're going to Maine. Hope you packed for cold weather." Rummaging through his briefcase, he pulled out various items, each with their own value. "This, this was going to be my class ring. CEC 2013. Oh, and this," he pulled out a crudely drawn picture. "My little brother drew this." Just then, a disk fell out the side.

"What's that?" Maxwell walked over and picked it up. It was a CD.

"Wait a minute…" Bob said quietly. Then he grabbed the disc, rushed over to the computer, and opened it. "My God…" He turned to Maxwell. "Get everyone in here, now!"

"Why are all of you so happy?" Ray was currently mopping about, as the other girls chatted excitedly. They really felt like fighters in their cameo.

"Come on, Ray, look at us!" Serena jumped up and down with each word. "We really look like warriors now!"

Taking the cue, the other girls formed up in a pose behind her, holding their weapons dramatically. As one, they said, "We are the Sailor Scouts! Nothing gets by us!"

Ray simply turned away.

"Wow, I wonder what's wrong." Molly was genuinely concerned. It was another scout after all. She couldn't stand to see anyone the way Ray was.

"Hey, Molly, can you come here a second?" She nodded, and walked over to Darien.

"What's up?"

"Listen, Molly, I don't know if you've noticed, but three out of the four girls in there have been to a private spot with Bob. One hasn't, and I'm willing to bet that one isn't to happy."

Molly looked annoyed. "You're just as bad as Max," she growled.

Darien made a hasty retreat. "No! No, that's not what I meant!" He regained his composure. "What I meant to say was that maybe the girls should each have some time to themselves with Bob, so _he_ can make the right choice for him."

Molly wanted to say something, but Maxwell cut her off. In seconds, they were all gathered in the room.

"Alright. Is everyone who can transform here?" They all nodded. "Good, because what I am about to say concerns all of us." He turned on the computer monitor and played the video on the screen. "When we were down in 51, they asked Darien for some help. I didn't know they were recording it." He skipped to a text document. "Ami, what does this say?"

She sat down and read, and soon shot up in her seat. "This says that they can make more Sailor Scouts!"

The room became eerily quiet after this. Luna and Artemis were back in Japan, though, so thankfully, there was no feline intervention.

"I know, this can be bad," said Bob. "But think. We are all capable of doing things no one else can. Now, with what I've seen over the past few months, I am willing to question a lot. But think. We aren't just superheroes. Haven't you ever wondered what gives us the ability to change? Yes, we come from a magical kingdom from a distant time, but that doesn't explain all of it." He paused and looked around the room. "The tests show that when we change, we give off radiation, EMPs, even pure energy." Another pause. "They believe, that using us as a test bed, they can mass produce superheroes."

"No!" cried Lita, thumping her fist hard down on the nightstand next to her. "If they start mass producing us, what will we do?"

"Plus," interjected Ami "What happens if it gets into the wrong hands?"

"That's why I've called you all up here." He got up and started pacing. "If we give up this information, we can all finally lead normal lives. If, however, we choose to destroy it, we give up that chance."

They all stood in the room, silenced by the decision they now had to make. "Bob, can't we make the decision when we get back?"

"No, Mina, we can't." He showed them a timer. "When I put this disc in, a message was sent to the governments back-up servers. All the information on this stored in Area 51 was sent there. Unless I delete this disc, and the information on the servers along with it, the government will learn how to do this. We decide now. Your call. Normal life, or super heroes for life." When his monotone was finished he looked at them all.

They all stood still, each mentally pondering what to do.

"We shouldn't do it," said Serena, once again surprising everyone. "We shouldn't let them do this. We are the only ones who can handle this power. If the wrong people get their hands on this power, it means the end for all of us."

"Serena's right." Ray decided to put in her opinion. "If we let a government use our powers, someone will become like Mondale. We can't let this happen."

"Wait," said Maxwell. "What makes you so sure that you can delete the files?"

Bob edged away from the computer to make sure everyone heard the pre-recorded message. The image of Doctor J popped up on screen, while in the background, G and some security men were setting up the plasma cannon.

"Robert, if you get this, then we are probably dead." The room shook every few seconds, as though a giant's foot would come crashing down. "We analyzed the data we got from your friend." He held up the folder, then flicked a lighter and burned it. "We have the rest stored to back-up, but we have decided to let you make the choice on how to use it." The door in the background seemed to bend. "If you choose to wipe this disk, then all record of the visit from you two will vanish." The door was about to break. Seven inches of steel was about to come crashing in. "If you choose not to, then within five hours, all the records will be made available to the entire scientific community." The door burst, and gunfire erupted. The rest of the message had to be shouted. "You were the only subject who remained human, Robert! Make the right choice!"

But the message cut off. "Dr. J was no liar. He said these files would be deleted, they'll be deleted. So, what's it gonna be?"

Without a word, Ami went to the keyboard and pressed delete. In seconds, all files on the disc, and in the NSA cyber-storage building concerning human transformation.

"Alright." Bob didn't need to say more. Just then, a car horn honked outside. "Time to go." Halfway out the rooms door, he said "Anyone here know how to HALO jump?"

* * *

Mondale scouted out the area. He remembered there was something about this place that was familiar, but he didn't know what. He didn't have time to worry about that, though. Right now, he was more worried about finding a good hideout.

"Sir, I've contacted Banshee. He'll be here tomorrow."

"Excellent, Wraith." He looked over the edge of the cliff near the abandoned lighthouse nearby. "Is there any problem with our pursuers?"

"None, sir. Excuse me sir, but I have to get back to the camp." Walking off, Wraith took out another disposable cell phone. "Captain, by tomorrow, you and your country will have the best weapons money can buy."

Aboard the Chinese "freighter" five miles away, the captain nodded at the receiver. This next century, China would be the worlds only superpower.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – Kiss Kiss Bangore, Maine

* * *

"Why didn't they train us for this?!" Serena bellowed over the droning engines of the

C-130. The huge behemoth was their insertion to the last action of the old CIA. The one that started a revolution in Iran. The one that organized the famed Golden Triangle in Southeast Asia. The one that was responsible for so much of the suffering in the Twentieth century. This night, this was the end of it.

"They didn't know where the enemy would be!" Apollo screamed back. His face was alight with joy. He hadn't had a good jump in years! "Don't worry! The altimeters will tell you when to pull the cord!" He looked at this watch. "We have ten minutes until we reach the drop point! When the altimeter," he pointed to the small device on his wrist. "Starts vibrating pull the cord! If that doesn't work, pull the red lollipop!" He motioned to the emergency cord, a red badge. "When you hit the ground, make sure you tuck in your legs! If you keep them straight, you'll break them, or worse!" He looked again at the watch. "Alright, here's the order of jump! Ladies first! Darien, Maxwell, you two go next! The RIRA and SEAL team will stay here in case we need support!"

"I give it five minutes before you come begging!" yelled Jester. The "professionals" roared with laughter. But they respected Apollo. They knew he could get the job done.

"Why us first?" Ray's face betrayed her. She was clearly afraid of jumping from 18,000 feet.

"Because," he laughed "I knew if you all went last, you wouldn't jump!"

"One thing," yelled Specter. "Why did we give them weapons?" He pointed to the M4 carbines the girls carried with only three days training.

"They might not have the time to change into being Sailor Scouts," Apollo answered. "They need some kind of defense."

"Just don't complain when you get shot in the back!" roared Jester, to the amusement of the men in the back. Apollo said nothing. Four minutes now. He hoped he wasn't going to get shot in the back.

* * *

"You know, Wraith, this place seems really familiar to me." Mondale looked a little strange with the MP5 in his hands, but he was one of them after all. Black-ops. A world where secrets and truth never meet.

"Really, director?" Wraith was genuinely surprised. He thought the director would have remembered what this place meant.

"I don't know, but there's just something…" But the train of thought was cut off.

"Wraith, we're tracking an aircraft. Its coming in fast. Altitude, 18,000."

Wraith nodded, but Mondale was shocked. "How did he know there's a plane out there?" Just then, rain started coming down, accompanied by thunder and lightning.

"Sorry, director, but I may have left out a little detail about our plan." Wraith produced a copy of "It". "Remember your dirty little secret a few years back?"

Mondale stumbled for a minute, trying to bring his gun to bear. But he was too late. Wraith was on him in an instant. A quick movement of the vertebrae in the neck, and Mondale was on the slow train to the bad place.

"Now that I have your attention," said Wraith to the slowly dying man in front of him. "I was sick of you treating me like your little dog. We all were. So, I found that file that talks about your deal with the chinks." He motioned out to the Chinese freighter. "Twenty-seven years is a long wait, sir, but I can say it was worth it." He produced a strange looking pistol. It was longer than was normal, but it made Mondale's eyes widen in fright. "Oh, so you remember? Yes, Poltergeist was a nice red herring," he put the weapon on Mondale's left arm. "But now, we have to meet our new friends."

He fired the weapon, and instantly millions of primitive nano-bots swarmed through Mondale's body, replacing the missing synapses that were destroyed by Wraith. In under a minute, the directors body was under Wraith's control.

"Now," said Wraith, producing a small device. "Lets have a little fun." Flicking a switch, the director walked stiffly to the lighthouse, and the dock beneath it.

* * *

The wind felt good. Ever since his mission in Russia, Apollo swore that he would HALO at least one more time in his life. And now, he had. Looking below him, he saw Maxwell and Darien holding control better than the girls. Right now, he could see Serena flapping her arms everywhere. Worried, he spoke into his mike. "Serena, if God wanted us to fly, he'd have given us wings. Calm down, focus on your descent."

Serena couldn't believe what Apollo just said. Practically screaming into her mike, she yelled "Well I'm sorry, but this is a first time for me!"

Suddenly, the girls' altimeters started vibrating on their wrists. "This is it," yelled Lita. Try as she might, though, she couldn't keep her fear under control. They all pulled the cords, and felt the huge jerk up that comes with parachuting. In a dew seconds, Darien and Maxwell would fell the same thing. Last was Apollo. In under a minute, they were on the ground, making their next move.

* * *

"Ahoy!" Banshee looked out to the lighthouse and saw two figures on the dock. He and the others started screaming and hooting. The plan had worked!

"Ahoy yourself," said Wraith's voice. As the dinghy pulled up to the dock, Banshee saw a little more clearly through the rain coming down. Waiting for him was Wraith, the equipment, and the new version of the director.

"Oh, no way!" Banshee yelled, jumping from dinghy to dock. He ran to the director and looked him over while Phantom and Daemon loaded the equipment. "Dude, it looks lifelike! The vacant stare, the stiff movements! No one can tell the difference!"

"Just be careful when you load him up," said Wraith. "The nanites aren't tested for water. The rain alone could fry him. When you take him to the Chinese, make sure he's stored safe.

"Please," said Banshee. "What could go wrong?"

"Is everyone down?" Apollo was almost bellowing. The rain was coming down in sheets now, and the lightning and thunder was intensifying.

"Yeah, we're all here!" Maxwell screamed back.

"Alright, remember the plan! You all take out the enemies surrounding the lighthouse!"

"Why should you take on the head bad guys alone!" Molly asked. She was genuinely worried. "You need help!"

"No can do!" He screamed back. "I'm the only one who's good enough to take down Mondale and Wraith! I don't want any of you getting hurt because of me!" Just then, gunfire erupted from the trees surrounding the lighthouse. "Transform now! Take them down!" With those parting words, Apollo sprayed-and-prayed, sprinting for the lighthouse.

"No, Apollo wait!" Without transforming, Lita, Ami, Ray and Mina ran after him, leaving Sailor Moon, Sailor Earth, Tuxedo Mask and Nephrite to deal with Revenant and the rest.

"Specter, this is Nephrite!" Using the training he and Darien used, they dodged from tree to tree. "We have heavy resistance! Drop immediately!"

"Roger," came the reply.

"You ready, Tuxedo?" Mask nodded. Running along the braches, they caught five off guard. The first two fell fast. One took a little more effort, but the last two had enough time to fight back. Picking one, they paired off and went hand-to-hand.

"Earth Cyclone Attack!" The twister sprung up fast. It made short work of the ones in the open, but some were smart enough to hide in a gully, and popped up and fired back.

"Sailor Earth! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" Earth was hiding behind a large tree, but the bullets hitting it were getting closer to the edge. Bark was flying, hitting her in the face. "Sailor Moon! Use your tiara!"

"Right!" Taking off the headwear, she shouted "Moon Tiara Magic!"

The Spirits had never encountered an energy attack before, and they didn't know what to do. Some tried to fire at it, but they were cut down. Others tried to get behind trees and bushes, but they too were destroyed. There was still a dozen left, though, and they were regaining momentum.

"Is that the best you got, monkey suit?" The man went in for a right hook, but Mask dodged it and sent a vicious cane strike to the mans side.

"No, but you'll see my best very soon!"

"Get back here you coward!" Nephrite was running after his target, who jumped out from under a fallen tree with a kick to the legs. Nephrite stumbled, and the man was on top of him, K-Bar bared.

"This time," said the man. "I won't let some lousy machine try to kill you." Nephrite realized it was the man who led them into the trap in Philly. "I'll kill you myself!"

Thinking fast, Nephrite touched the mans temple. Instantly, the man screamed and jumped back. He clutched his head in pain. "Argh! What the hell did you do, you freak!"

"Haven't you heard about the drainer?" Without another word, he rushed at the Spirit, and speared him with the sharp end of his crystal. "You lose."

"We can't hold on much longer!" Moon looked around the corner of her tree to see at least a dozen more. "Where's the guys with the guns!"

"Right here!" Running fast, Specter and the others burst through some bushes and fired on the Spirits, taking down at least three.

"You girls alright?" Patrick and William checked on Moon and Earth while James covered them.

"Yeah, we're fine! Where's Nephrite!" Just then two black figures jumped from the trees nearby, and landed behind the enemy line. In minutes, the remaining Spirits were either captured or killed.

"Alright," yelled Specter. "Where's Apollo?"

* * *

"Wraith!" Wraith turned to see the face he wanted to since this started.

"So, you finally showed up?" Wraith almost smiled. But that would give things away. Poltergeist was young, but not stupid.

"Where's Mondale? You're both under arrest for treason!"

"Sorry, but that's a crime still punishable by death!"

Both stood still, weapons ready, but then something caught Apollo's eye. It was Mondale. Without thinking, Apollo dove for a large rock just as Mondale started firing.

"So, Poltergeist, or is it Apollo?" Wraith laughed as he fired at Apollo, 9mm flying everywhere. "You should've joined us, kid. It's easier just to kill without thinking!"

"So, you'd sell your humanity just for a place in the world?" Apollo fired off a few shots, but they were wild. Wraith didn't even flinch.

"You never understood our purpose, did you, kid? We were made to kill, that's it! We weren't supposed to ask why, just do and kill!"

"You killed Americans! Civilians who were innocent!"

"So what? I followed my orders because I knew the consequences that would follow if I failed!"

Apollo changed the topic. "And what about you, Mondale? You'd sell your country and soul for money?"

Mondale didn't answer. "Oh yeah," yelled Wraith. "I forgot to mention, I pumped him full of some Dreamland magic."

"Don't tell me…" Apollo was shocked. "You gave him the nanites!"

"Heh," Wraith was looking over at his personal Frankenstein. "It wasn't that hard actually! Just give him the syringe and let the machines do the work!"

Mondale fired again, this time much closer to where Apollo's head was sticking out.

"This is the end kid!" But a burst of 5.56 cut him off. Turning, they both saw a strange sight. Four girls, high school age, in cameo, running into the fight, guns blazing.

"Girls get down!" Without waiting, they ducked the instant Apollo yelled it, and Wraith's shots went right overhead.

"So, you got yourself a little harem, huh, Poltergeist?" Wraith burst out laughing. "So what? A kills a kill after all!"

* * *

"Ahoy! This is the Spirit delegation! We have some of the weapons! We request entry onto your ship!"

The captain looked over the side, and in almost perfect English, replied "Where is Mondale?"

Banshee didn't see this coming, but quickly found an excuse. "He's busy right now! We have some problems to deal with on the land!"

"Without Mondale, we cannot let you onto our ship!"

"Oh, yeah? You and what army?"

The three dozen crewmen with AK-47s made a very persuasive argument.

* * *

"Apollo! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Ray, I'm fine." He looked up over the lip of the boulder. Wraith and what was Mondale were waiting for him to slip. "Mondale's dead. It's useless to kill him. Believe me, I tried."

Looking, but not to reveal themselves, they saw multiple bullet marks. One was even on Mondale's head.

"What…he…he should be…"

"I know Mina," Apollo's voice. "But he's dead. Shooting him in the head won't work. Unless I can find a weakness, he can go on forever."

The rain and lightning weren't letting up either, and then Apollo noticed something. Mondale's movements were becoming erratic. He was stiffer now, and Apollo saw there was water leaking into the wounds.

"Eureka!" He turned to the girls. "I know what's going on! The nanites weren't meant to work in an aquatic environment-"

"And if we douse him with enough water, we can stop him!" Taking the cue, Ami transformed into Mercury. "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"

But the attack had little effect. "What happened?" she cried in fear.

"We need to open up a large enough area to soak the nanites!" He turned to Mina. "We need a chain."

Nodding, Mina transformed. "Venus Love Chain!" The flash of light gouged a hole in the man, leaving him vulnerable.

"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" The blast of water hit dead center in the gash. Instantly, enough of the nanites were soaked to shut down all of them. Mondale stumbled back to the cliff face, then fell into the stormy North Atlantic, never to be seen on US soil again.

Wraith looked at the sea shocked. Then he turned back to see two other Sailor Scouts with Poltergeist. "Is this how you want it to end, Poltergeist? Me falling dramtically into the sea?"

"That about sums it up." The rain was really pouring now. Lightning was flashing everywhere, the boom of thunder sounding out loudly like a mad drummer.

"I guess you expected this, then?" He pulled from his pocket the same gun he had used to turn Mondale into a puppet.

Apollo's eyes widened in fright. "You wouldn't…"

* * *

"Keep your hands up!" Specter was being cautious. If these men were as bad as Apollo said they were, he might have to shot them all if one tried something. But there were only five Spirits left. Four SEALs and three RIRA could handle that, couldn't they?

"Stay away from those weapons!" Quickly, James was gathering up the enemy weapons. Though they had weapons pointed at them, the Spirits were still dangerous, like captured animals.

"Specter!" He turned to Sailor Moon. "We're going to help Apollo and the others! Can you handle them?"

Specter nodded and gave a thumbs up. "Don't worry! Go help Apollo! We got this!"

Just as the four ran out of sight, Revenant made a jump for James, grabbing a pistol. He pointed it at James' head, shielding himself from the weapons trained on him.

"Come on you bastards!" Revenant looked exactly as he was. A beast. A dangerous beast, willing to do anything to free itself. Even if it meant taking one more life.

"Put it down, black suit," said Jester, trying to circle to the side. "Just give up. Maybe we can get you life-"

"Screw you seal!" Revenant shifted so that his entire body was behind James'. "I'll tell you what happens! I go to the Chinese ship that's waiting out there, get onboard, and stay as far away from this country as humanly freaking possible!"

He was cut off when a round flew into the back of his head, dropping him. Thankfully, his muscles didn't contract, so the gun he held didn't fire into James' temple.

"You alright?" asked Iceman.

"Yeah," said James, looking at the man who tried to end his life.

* * *

"What is that?" The rain was coming in sheets now, making it harder to see.

"More nanites, Mars." Apollo couldn't believe it. Even Wraith wasn't that desperate. Was he?

"Here's what was supposed to happen, Poltergeist! I hop onto a yacht waiting for me down there. I get on, with the nanites stored inside me, and I live happily ever after!"

"I can't let that happen, Wraith!" Apollo tried to get up from cover. However, he was forced down again from a burst of 9mm.

"But you screwed me over! I needed Mondale's body so I could convince the Chinese to buy the tech from me! But without Mondale, they won't believe me! You…" He put the nanite injector into his left arm. "You cost me everything!"

He depressed the injection lever, and instantly the nanites spread through his body.

"No!" Apollo ran to him, trying to stop him, but it was too late.

"What's wrong?" cried Venus. "Why can't he inject those nanites?"

"They were only used on dead bodies! We don't know what happens on a live subject!"

The nanites were designed to work fast. In under a minute, they had spread through Wraith's left arm. A minute and a half, they reached the brain and heart. In two minutes, two personalities battled for the body of Wraith. His body contorted. Large clusters of nanites emerged from his skin and were fried, forming an almost protective layer of scales. His eyes were overtaken, becoming more like cameras. His natural brain and the nanites fought for control, but machine does not tire. The nanites overcame, and soon, Wraith was gone. All that remained was one overriding desire; kill.

The hulking monster that was Wraith came closer and closer. Thinking fast, Apollo turned to the girls. Here's the order! Jupiter, Venus, Mercury, Mars! Go now!"

"Jupiter Supreme Thunder!" The storm around them struck with all its force onto Wraith, short circuiting the nanites that still worked on the outside. They fell of like shedding skin.

"Venus Love Chain!" The brilliant light shot out at the unprotected skin, carving massive holes in the nanite filled body.

"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" The nanites inside were wetted with the driving force of the rain focused on one spot.

"Mars Sniper Attack!" The arrow of flame flew at the still human parts of Wraith, torching the remaining flesh. Burning in his own funeral pyre, Wraith backed up to the cliff edge. For a minute, Apollo swore he could see humanity return to his eyes. But he fell from the cliff, and into the churning North Atlantic. There would be no funeral. There would be no service. There would be no body. The man known as Wraith had vanished from the Earth in 1968, never to be seen again.

"Is it over?" Jupiter surveyed the battleground, looking for any other threats. But there were none.

"Its over," said Apollo, before collapsing from exhaustion. "I can't believe it." He started laughing like mad. "Murphy's Law! Anything that can go wrong will!"

Just then Moon and the others came from the trees to see this. "Apollo," she said. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he said getting up. "We finally did it. They've been beat. Now, lets get back. Mars and I have something to take care of." He turned to her and winked, causing the other scouts to turn green with envy, despite the fact that they had already had their turns.

* * *

"What was that?" The captain pointed to the lighthouse on the cliff, and Banshee saw it too. Brilliant flashes of light going everywhere, and, barely visible, a human shape falling into the ocean. Quickly, Banshee turned to try and save his own life.

"Now wait, I can explain!" But it was too late for explanations. The crew opened fire to eliminate the evidence. One bullet struck Phantom in the temple, causing him to fall from the boat. Ghoul was riddled with bullets. Daemon, who was still nursing a leg, was shot in the heart, ending it instantly.

"Please, wait…!" They wouldn't listen. With one RPG-7, the Chinese erased all trace of the Spirit program, and the work of four men at Area 51. It was now truly over.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9- Have You Ever Seen the Rain

* * *

Ray and Bob had a wonderful time. Even the light rain that still came down couldn't dampen their spirits. They looked into a few small local shops for souvenirs. Ray had her first bite in a true American greasy spoon. They fooled around on a giant statue of Apul Bunion until the police told them to move along. They finally found themselves in a gazebo, on a small hill overlooking the town of Derry, Maine.

"Thanks Bob," she said. She knew that as long as she lived, she would never forget this.

"Its nothing, Ray. I told you all in Vegas, I'm just making up for a mistake."

Ray leaned in and kissed him, again, near where three others had kissed him before. And, Bob turned and kissed her on the cheek, still unsure which girl he liked most. He knew though, that he would decide one of these days.

* * *

"There are no bodies?" Young's eyes bored into both men, making sure each was telling the truth.

"No sir." Kelling was going over his own reports. "Dive teams have swept the area. They report no bodies or any aquatic life that would indicate scavenging."

"There hasn't been any recovery of technology either." Eastwing sounded almost like he was disappointed. But then, he was a military man. More advanced tech on the battlefield usually means more men can go home.

Young nodded. "And the RIRA/SEAL team?"

"The RIRA men are on their way back to Ireland, but they realize that they are on call if they are needed. As for the SEAL team, they've gone to SEAL HQ in California. The Navy thinks they may be better as separate team leaders."

Young nodded again and started to leave. "Well, gentlemen, that leaves one loose end. What do we do with Apollo?"

Kelling spoke first. "Given his status around the world, we could set him up with a safe house until he's of legal age."

"What about his family?"

Eastwing shook his head. "We just learned that Mondale told them he was dead about two years ago. Unless we want them angry at us, he stays dead to them."

"Sad but true?" Eastwing nodded at the question. "Well, Kelling, set him up in a safe house where he wants to live, assign him a guardian, but remember. He is still a national asset. If he wants to quit, he's more than willing."

Both men nodded. The president looked at his watch. "Well, gentlemen, if you excuse me, I have a new CIA director to choose. Thankfully, we gave this one a shrink test." Grinning, the president left the two men alone.

"I'm sorry, general." Eastwing was caught off-guard.

"I'm sorry?"

"You were right. Mondale was the leader, at least in name. If Apollo's testimony was true, then we could have ended this a little faster if we had just eliminated Mondale in Philadelphia."

Eastwing put a hand on the other mans shoulder. "Don't worry about it," he said, as he led the other man out of the office. "This is finished now. We can move on to other things. After all, don't you guys still have to find Hoffa?"

* * *

They were in the terminal of LAX, waiting for the final boarding call for Flight 253 to Tokyo. In the time the girls had been in America, the UN had made major strides in repairing the capitol.

"You sure you'll be alright?" Bob looked them all over. He still couldn't believe not one of them had a single bullet wound on them.

"We'll be fine," said Darien. His respect for Bob had grown tremendously. He was almost sad about leaving. The four guardians, however, were a little less than dignified.

"We'll write you every day!" screamed Ami, holding Bob in her best attempt at a bear hug.

"We want you to know we care about you!" Mina was wrapped around Bobs neck. Thankfully, she wasn't heavy enough to cut of breathing.

The PA came to life. "Final boarding call for Flight 253 to Japan."

"Time to go ladies." 9/11 security still in place, he left them at the entrance to the terminal.

"Wait!" Ray screeched to a halt. "You never told us which one you liked the most!"

Bob simply grinned. "I still haven't decided. You all are just so…beautiful."

As he walked away, he spoke over his shoulder. "I was told I can still go to Japan. Who know, maybe I'll come visit sometime."

As the jet took of into the light rain, the CCR song rang through Bob's head. He'd be back. He knew he would. Singing the song loudly, he walked off, to face life anew.


End file.
